Undergraduate Nursing Students' Experiences in Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study

To explore the experiences of undergraduate nursing students while caring for palliative patients.

The rising demand for palliative care requires nurses to possess a broad set of professional competencies when attending to patients with life-limiting illnesses. Yet, many undergraduate nursing students report that current nursing training is insufficiently equipping them to handle the complexities of palliative care.

Descriptive exploratory qualitative study.

A convenience sample of 16 undergraduate nursing students who had cared for palliative patients was recruited. Data were collected using an online semi-structured interview guide. Inductive thematic analysis guided the data analysis, with findings discussed through Simard's Namaste Care, a holistic, person-centred framework emphasizing dignity and meaningful engagement.

The main themes were multifaceted transformative experience, strengthening of emotional equilibrium, humanizing care despite practical challenges, distinct position as a student, and developing emotional preparedness through nursing education. Emotional complexity underscores the role of emotional labour in palliative contexts, while limitations in nursing education and emotional preparedness highlight the importance of supervision and support from qualified nurses.

This study highlights the importance of supporting undergraduate nursing students' emotional preparedness for palliative care.

The findings contribute to strengthening the pedagogical infrastructure in nursing education to better prepare nursing students for the multifaceted demands of palliative care practice.

This study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.

Academic and clinical educators share responsibility for developing educational strategies that support nursing students' emotional preparedness and supervision in palliative care.