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CONTEXT: Among student nurses (SNs), who are key future actors in determining access to palliative care (PC), 30% have avoidant attitudes toward end-of-life (EOL) patients. In 2017, in response to this issue, the French Ministries of Health and Higher Education introduced a mandatory PC placement for health care students as part of a national plan to develop PC. It was in this context that all third-year SNs in our town (population of 20,000) did a 5-day placement in a mobile PC team.

OBJECTIVE

To identify whether this placement changed representations of PC among the SNs we hosted, and if so, how.

METHOD: This was a two-stage qualitative study. It used the method of thematic analysis of verbatim comments made by SNs during the 2021-2022 academic year, on the first day (D1) and last day (D5) of their placement.

RESULTS

The sample consisted of 31 SNs. On D1, PC and EOL were regarded in spiritual terms, and could provoke negative feelings. By D5, the SNs were using professional PC vocabulary, highlighting new perceptions of inter-professional relations, and had a better understanding of which patients needed PC and of the ethical challenges relating to EOL.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed an immediate benefit of this placement on professional representations among SNs. While further research is needed to clarify its long-term effects, it supports a proactive policy of including PC training in nurse education.