Problems arising when caring for a dying patient with cancer: reflection on a critical incident

Within health care, a critical incident is an event or circumstance involving a patient, their family or nurse, which has an important effect on the final outcome. Critical incidents can therefore only be identified retrospectively. The incident may have a positive effect or, conversely, it may be something that causes harm or suffering. While reflection and analysis of critical incidents is widely regarded as a valuable learning tool for nurses, its use in palliative care has not received such extensive acceptance. This paper uses the critical incident technique as a means of structured reflection to discuss the problems facing student nurses in the healthcare system of Cyprus when caring for a dying patient. It draws upon the relevant literature to examine specific problems faced by student nurses when dealing with patients with cancer.