Ms Alison Walsh1, Associate Professor Lynette Cusack1, Adjunct Professor Desley Hegney
1Adelaide Nursing School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
Biography:
Alison is a lecturer specialising in oncology and palliative care in the Adelaide Nursing School. Alison co-ordinates the cancer post-graduate diploma and palliative care nursing course for undergraduate nursing students.
Prior to this, Alison worked as a nurse unit manager of an oncology ward at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. This includes her extensive practice-based cancer nursing experience working with people with cancer and caring for them throughout their journey.
As part of her current HDR degree, she is researching the factors that influence the perceived ability of nursing students to engage in difficult conversations, towards the end of life.
Abstract:
Background: Caring for patients with life-limiting illnesses requires nursing skills that focus on empathy and communication alongside symptom management. Registered nurses working exclusively in specialist palliative care often develop these communication skills through their daily nursing practice, however, more is needed to prepare nursing students to engage in difficult conversations when encountering patients and families towards the end-of-life.
Aims: To understand the nursing student’s perspective on how their undergraduate education has prepared them to communicate with patients who have a life-limiting illness, and their families.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used to guide this study. Ethical approval was gained from the University to interview ten third-year undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing students. The Braun and Clark approach to thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data.
Results: The results demonstrate that the participants felt they were not prepared for difficult conversations with patients and their families. In addition to being unprepared for difficult conversations, nursing students need preparation for death and dying that considers the role of the RN in caring for dying people and their families and the importance of empathic communication. The focus of this presentation will be on the participant's suggestions for what needs to be included in the curriculum to better prepare nursing students for death and dying and difficult conversations.
Conclusion: The findings of this study add to the currently limited research on the nursing student experience of death and dying and contribute a unique focus on the experiences of difficult conversations. The findings provide teaching and learning ideas, from the experiences of the nursing student, that consider their wellbeing and may better prepare them for end-of-life care and difficult conversations. Preparing future generations of RNs to engage in difficult conversations may improve the patient and family experience at the end of life.