Let’s talk about death: the impact of the “Death cafe” methodology in nursing students

Section: Originals

How to quote

Guillaumet Olives M, Ricart Basagaña M, Guerrero Cañadilla V, de Francisco Profumo S, Ramos Fernández A. Hablemos de la muerte. Impacto de la metodología Death cafe en estudiantes de Enfermería. Metas Enferm may 2020; 23(4):25-32. Doi: https://doi.org/10.35667/MetasEnf.2019.23.1003081580

Authors

Montserrat Guillaumet Olives1, Maite Ricart Basagaña1, Verónica Guerrero Cañadilla2, Seyla de Francisco Profumo3, Adelaida Ramos Fernández3

Position

1Doctora en Enfermería. Profesora en Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería Sant Pau (ads. UAB). Barcelona2Máster en Enfermería oncológica. Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona3Máster en Ciencias de la Enfermería. Profesora en EUE-Sant Pau (ads. UAB). Barcelona

Contact address

Montserrat Guillaumet Olives. C/ Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167. 08025 Barcelona

Contact email: mguillaumet@santpau.cat

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the impact of the Death cafe methodology in Nursing Degree Students as a method for coping with death.
Method: a qualitative evaluative research developed at the Escola Universitària d’Infermeria Sant Pau, in Barcelona. It included volunteer students from the Nursing Degree enrolled in the Therapeutic Communication course in the 2018-19 term, before the initiation of their first clinical practice. A session was set up following the guidelines of the Death cafe social movement, where they could discuss aspects associated with death spontaneously and without any script. At the end, they completed an open-end questionnaire put forward by said movement, and they also wrote down their conclusions. All this allowed to explore the Death cafe experience, its personal impact and its future consequences, through thematic analysis.
Results: the narratives by 10 students were obtained. The Death cafe experience: The methodology used was identified as a didactic innovation that encourages building confidence, communication, reflection and the expression of feelings. Personal impact: They acknowledged personal fulfillment, raising awareness of death and social taboos and personal interpellation. Future consequences: Agreement on future professional and personal contribution, highlighting the relevance of self-knowledge and emotional management in order to be able to face future impactful scenarios.
Conclusions: the results obtained indicate the adequacy of the Death cafe methodology for Nursing Degree students before the initiation of their clinical practice, as a transition from social taboos to the complexity of professional care.

Keywords:

nursing students; death; teaching strategy; Death cafe; innovation; attitude towards death; qualitative evaluative research

Versión en Español

Título:

Hablemos de la muerte. Impacto de la metodolgía Death cafe en estudiantes de Enfermería