The Relationship Between the Levels of Thanatophobia and the Attitudes Towards the Care of Dying Patients Among Student Nurses

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationship between the levels of thanatophobia and the attitudes towards the care of dying patients among student nurses. It is descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational. 140 student nurses studying at the faculty of health sciences of one foundation university participated in it. We collected research data using 'Defining Features of a Student Nurse Form', 'Frommelt Attitude Toward the Care of the Dying Scale', and 'Thanatophobia Scale'. 17.1% of student nurses were deeply affected by death in the last year and 38.6% stated that a patient they cared for died during their internship. The thanatophobia scale scores of student nurses who chose their profession willingly were higher on a statistically meaningful level than those participants who did not choose their profession willingly. We found a statistically significant (p < .05) difference between the FATCOD scale scores of interns and their gender, family type, having been affected by death, and willingness to care for dying patients. We suggest that nursing students should more often provide care to dying patients before graduation.