“It was the first time someone had died before my eyes…”: A qualitative study on the first death experiences of nursing students

Abstract

Background: Accompanying a person at their death is a common experience in nurse education. In addition to all death experiences that are a meaningful part of the nursing profession, the first death experience is very important. However, there is limited understanding of nursing students’ first death experiences. Objectives: This study aimed to explore nursing students’ experiences of the death of a person for the first time during clinical practice. Design: This study was conducted as a qualitative study using a phenomenological design. Participants: A total of 17 nursing students participated in this study. Methods: Data were collected through online individual in-depth interviews and were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Four main themes and eleven sub-themes emerged. The themes were meaning of death (first death, a part of life), process management (death information, physical environment, bad news), after death (empty bed, questioning, death with dignity) and education (curriculum, support, professional perception). Conclusions: While the first experience of death provides an opportunity for students to learn, this experience reveals various negative emotions and the need for support.