Nursing student's experiences of taking part in a Death Café: A qualitative study.

Abstract

Aims: To explore students' experiences of taking part in a Death Café and whether they consider the Death Café as being a useful educational tool.

Background: Talking about death remains a taboo for both nursing professionals and students. Recognizing the importance of open dialogue, Death Cafés were established to provide safe spaces for individuals to share thoughts and feelings on this topic.

Design: A qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study employing a descriptive analytical approach.

Methods: This study was conducted between April 2025 and July 2025 at a public university in Catalonia. The Death Café was a mandatory activity within the palliative care course for all third-year bachelor/undergraduate nursing students. After the course, students were invited to participate in a questionnaire containing 12 open-ended questions, and all 39 students agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using Sandelowski's qualitative descriptive approach.

Results: Following questionnaire analysis, 24 units of meaning, categorized into 7 subcategories and 2 categories emerged: (1) death without fear: normalizing dialogue and communication. The Death Café fostered speaking about death freely and without prejudices; (2) emotional management and group support in the learning process. Students reported a sense of emotional relief when speaking about death and considered it a tool that can enhance their capacity to support patients and families.

Conclusion: Most participants regarded the Death Café as a comfortable and enriching experience that provided a respectful environment for open conversation about death. The activity reduced perceived fears and taboos, promoted emotional reflection, and encouraged the sharing of diverse perspectives.