Herts Uni simulation suite helping trainee nurses deal with death and dying
How to handle these conversations with a patient and their loved ones has become a core focus in their training
The University of Hertfordshire is highlighting a unique approach to preparing future nurses for discussions around end-of-life care.
Karen Cairnduff, Principal Lecturer in Simulation at the university, explained that nursing students are introduced to the topic of death and dying just weeks after beginning their training.
This early introduction aims to reduce fear, foster confidence, and improve the quality of care delivered by student nurses during clinical placements.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, she said: "One of the important things that we have realised that we need to do differently is teach our student nurses about death and dying very, very early on in the programme.
"In the past, it's been left until the end of the programme, but what we know is that students find it very challenging emotionally, very difficult."
Many students are said to experience anxiety about being with someone who is dying.
Without preparation, this can leave them feeling vulnerable and hinder their ability to support patients and families.
To address this, the university holds a large conference on death and dying within the first two months of the nursing programme—before students even begin clinical placements.
Supported by local hospices and charities, the event provides a space for students to talk openly about death and explore cultural and faith-based perspectives.
Ms Cairnduff said: "It’s quite an unusual conference. It’s all about getting our student nurses talking about death and dying and exploring faith cultures, the variety of ways that people deal with their feelings and their traditions and what they do when somebody in their family is dying.
"We do work to support students, to learn about different faiths and different cultures around the time of death, but what we hope that we instil in our students is something called cultural humility - it's not necessarily appropriate to say that everybody with a certain faith or culture will feel this way and have these wishes at the end of life."
Simulation also plays a central role in the university’s teaching strategy.
Actors portray patients and their family members in end-of-life scenarios, giving students hands-on experience in managing real-world interactions.
"Listening to what the actor felt when they said the things they did or didn’t do, some of the scenarios have been really powerful in terms of learning about sitting down, taking your time, and the use of touch, which can be quite difficult to judge," added Ms Cairnduff.
Students are also taught how to manage their own emotional wellbeing while maintaining professionalism.
Throughout the programme, students are encouraged to view end-of-life care as a core part of good nursing practice.