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Beyond the Bedside: Experiences of Student Nurses in the Care of Terminally Ill
Patients

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A. Acosta, E. Basatan, M. Cansino, C. Dilangsoy, A. Fajardo, E. Gutierrez,
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R. Ligot, A. Molano, Y. Peduca, K. Sardido, K. Villacentino, R. Basat, and R. Valera 1
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School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines
Background: Student nurses often care for terminally ill patients in hospitals and communities,
adopting a holistic approach that addresses physical, emotional, and psychological needs in
palliative care. In the Philippines, the population with terminal illnesses is growing, yet there are no
documented studies on student nurses’ experiences in this context. This study aims to bridge this gap
by exploring and understanding the experiences of student nurses in caring for terminally ill patients
in the Philippines.

Objective: To explore the experiences of student nurses in caring for terminally ill patients.

Methods: This study investigates the experiences of student nurses in the Philippines, using a
descriptive phenomenology design. Data were collected through one-on-one unstructured
interviews with eight student nurses from two nursing schools in Baguio City. These participants, who
were third to fourth-year students, had cared for terminally ill patients for at least three days. Colaizzi’s
seven-step method was employed for data analysis.

Results: Four major themes emerged: (1) Facing Intrapersonal Challenges, (2) Facing Interpersonal
Challenges, (3) Caring with Compassion, and (4) Gaining Personal and Professional Insight. These
themes highlight the internal and external challenges faced by student nurses, their empathy and
compassionate care, the support exchanged with patients and healthcare professionals, and the
Oral Presentation Abstracts
personal and professional growth they experienced.

Conclusion: Student nurses face significant challenges but also gain deep personal and professional
development while caring for terminally ill patients. This emphasizes the need for specialized training
and support systems in nursing education to better prepare student nurses for these demanding
roles.

Keywords: challenges, caring, experiences, student nurses, terminally ill

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Correspondence: Rosario Agnes Basat, School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Benguet,
Philippines
E-mail: rambasat@slu.edu.ph

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