Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

SAGE Publications, OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, 4(86), p. 1190-1211, 2021

DOI: 10.1177/00302228211007003

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

“Do Not Protect Us, Train Us.”—Swiss Healthcare Students’ Attitudes Toward Caring for Terminally Ill Patients

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Positive attitudes and a sense of competence toward end-of-life care are the key to adequately support terminally ill patients. This qualitative study aims to explore healthcare students’ attitudes toward caring for terminally ill patients. Eleven students from the University of Applied Health Sciences in Switzerland participated in focus groups. Attitudes were overall positive. Most participants felt that supporting dying patients was a way to achieve professional fulfillment. However, most students felt not competent in palliative care and lacking experience. They wanted to receive better training, more specifically in good practices and appropriate behaviors. Our study fills a knowledge gap regarding the opinions and pedagogical needs of healthcare students, and highlights the importance of experiencing end-of-life care during the educational process. We recommend early exposure to terminally ill patients and appropriate attitudes toward death and dying as part of the bachelor’s curriculum, accompanied by benevolent guidance from teachers and health professionals.