Talking to patients about death: tips to give you confidence

Nursing students are required to develop competence and confidence in talking to patients and families about death. Discussing the subject of dying with someone at the end of life can be daunting and many nursing students will have little or no experience of doing so before seeing death first hand on clinical placement. Nurse experts offer advice on clear and person-centred communication about death, how to ensure the patient and their relatives understand what is happening and ways you as a nursing student can use debriefing and healthy coping strategies to build resilience in managing your own emotions.