Anxiety and level of knowledge in palliative care in students from Guerrero Ansiedad y nivel de conocimiento en cuidados paliativos en estudiantes de Guerrero

Abstract

Objective: To identify the level of knowledge in palliative care and anxiety before the death of the students of the nursing schools of the Autonomous University of Guerrero. Materials and methods: Mixed study with comparative and analytical cross-sectional design; and phenomenological through testimonial narrative. 380 fourth year undergraduate students were surveyed, 18 of them were interviewed in depth (25 to 40 minutes). Results: 78.7% of the students have a poor level of knowledge in palliative care. According to the Collett-Lester scale of anxiety and fear of death, 66.3% perceive a very anxious level, of the four death scenarios it was found that, at death itself, 55.3% moderately anxious; the very process of dying 57.1% very anxious; to the death of another 75.5% very anxious and to the dying process of another 60% very anxious. Faced with the death process, they described feelings of sadness, anxiety, deep emptiness, despair, fear, frustration, anger, an attitude of self-control, acceptance. The interventions that they would use, in the terminal hospitalized patient and with the relatives, would be techniques and procedures to prevent other pathologies and relieve pain. Conclusion:students have a poor level of knowledge in palliative care, because the curriculum does not include any specific learning unit for this care.The level of anxiety before death had a very high representation, the students perceived themselves as very anxious before the death processes.