TANGÜL AYTUR ÖZEN CİGDEM ERDEM
Genel Tıp Dergisi - 2023;33(6):711-718
Aim: This study was conducted using a descriptive and cross-sectional method to determine the attitudes and experiences of intern nursing students toward the concept of death while providing care for individuals with cancer. Methods: The sample of the study consists of 94 intern nurse students. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the data form including questions about sociodemographic characteristics and the concept of death, and the Frommelt Attitude Towards Care of the Dying Instrument. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used in the analysis of the data. Results: Of the students 91.5% encountered the concept of death outside the clinical environment, while 70.2% encountered in the clinical setting, and 58.5% provided care for five or more dying patients. Of the students 67.1% had difficulties in the interviewing and data collection process, and 22.3% had difficulties in all nursing practices. 47.3% said they experienced helplessness, and 19.7% said they experienced grief. In the current study, it was found that the mean FATCOD score was 73.00 ± 8.70. There was a difference in the scale scores in terms of the students’ status of feeling comfortable talking to a cancer patient about the concept of death (p<0.05). Conclusions: Intern nursing students have experienced helplessness. Students need strategies focusing on all stages of the nursing process in both theoretical and clinical practice.
