Nursing undergraduate education in relation to the death-dying process: perceptionsin light of the complex thinking

Abstract

The objective of this study was to perceive the death-dying process from the perspective of nursing students. This is an exploratory, descriptive and qualitative research study. Data were collected between June and July 2013, from three focus groups with six nursing students at a University Center located in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The meetings were organized with an approach to increase discussions about the death-dying process from the perspective of the complex thinking. Data were analyzed by means of the Strategic Focal Analysis, and three categories were created: Death: a process of rupture or continuity?; Recognizing weaknesses in the undergraduate educational process; and Outlining strategies to broaden academic discussions. It is possible to conclude that the death/dying process is minimally discussed in undergraduate courses, and when it is discussed, it happens in a fragmented and disjunctive manner, without integrating it into the human living process. Descriptors: Death. Education, nursing. Attitude to death.

Desvelando os cuidados aos pacientes em processo de morte/morrer e às suas famílias

“…They consider that it is necessary to guide the patient's family in the end, to talk about the death/dying process and to invest more and more in education about this process, so that everyone -patients, family and professionals -can deal better with the experience of terminality and of death. Of course, it is not only education that can transform this situation, but it is one of the pillars for this to happen as pointed out by various authors (12)(13)(14)(16)(17)(18)(19) .…”

“…Another concern of professionals in the care of terminally ill patients is the relief of pain and other unpleasant symptoms that patients may present, as well as relieve pain in the family (17,19) . This subcategory revealed that professionals seek physical and not physical (emotional, spiritual, among others) comfort in the face of the death/dying process, recognizing the complexity of life and the delicacy of this moment.…”

“…On the one hand, some other flaws, such as disrespect to the body, occur in this process and are cited by the participants, which indicates that professionals need to be prepared for this moment and develop skills that go beyond the technical issue when dealing with the body without the patient's life (13,19) . On the other hand, some statements show that nursing professionals prepare the patient's body with respect by recognizing it as part of the care that must exist in both life and death.…”

Reflexões à luz da Teoria da Complexidade e a formação do enfermeiro

“…The process of caring/care and the academic education of nursing professionals have been one of the main objects of reflection and research in the last years. Nursing undergraduate education, based on curriculum guidelines of August 7, 2001, aims to train generalist, critical-reflective professionals, who focus on various scenarios, based on themes that include the human living (2) . However, the hegemonic traditional models of teaching and learning are therefore increasingly questioned in the light of references that allow students' expansion of interactive and associative possibilities in the different scenarios of professional work.…”

Reflexões à luz de Wanda Horta sobre os instrumentos básicos de enfermagem

“…It is evident that the above mentioned curricular guidelines aim at the formation of professionals of generalist, reflexive-critical characteristics who are able to act in the different health scenarios. 2 In the meantime, the guidelines state that the professional training of nurses must be based on the teaching of knowledge required for the exercise of skills and abilities specific to the profession, such as the incorporation of the science/art of caring as an instrument of interpretation professional level.…”