ABSTRACT
Objectives
To identify the perception, skills and competencies of nursing students regarding the communication of the critical situation in palliative care through realistic simulation.
Method
Qualitative and quantitative descriptive study, developed with 41 undergraduate Nursing students from a university in southern Brazil. Research conducted in the laboratory of simulated practices, between March and May 2019.
Results
The average age of students was 23.4 years. Regarding their perception about communication of critical situation: 39% scored it as difficult; 75.6% never participated in communication in critical situations and; 36.6% feel quite stressed in this context. From the analysis of qualitative data, emerged two categories: Feelings and difficulties of the student facing the communication of critical situations in palliative care and; Main competences acquired through the teaching-simulation tool.
Conclusion and implications for nursing practice
Clinical simulation is an important tool in the teaching-learning process, brings about observation and makes students confident in the ability to maintain interprofessional and family dialogues. It implies, in this way, in professional practice regarding decision making, in the communication of bad news.
Keywords:
Simulation; Communication; Palliative Care; Nursing Education