End-of-life care and the use of simulation in a baccalaureate nursing program

End-of-life care is not traditionally associated with high technology, yet simulations have the potential to transform palliative care nursing education. This university incorporates a high-fidelity simulation scenario to teach undergraduate students this content. Since 76% of dying patients are under nursing care at the time of death, nurses need to be prepared to care for these patients. Simulated experiences have been shown to be particularly beneficial when dealing with emotionally charged issues like end-of-life care. This modality allows students to practice the assessment of the physiological changes taking place in the dying patient and the necessary patient care decisions. This article describes a pilot study evaluating undergraduate nursing students' knowledge and self-efficacy in caring for patients at the end-of-life via a simulation involving a terminally ill patient. The results show a statistically significant improvement in students' knowledge on physiological changes and self-efficacy in providing care.