Date
4-17-2024
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Chair
Jane Langemeier
Keywords
Perinatal loss, stillbirth, simulation, death, education, experience
Disciplines
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Peña, Paloma Alejandra, "The Lived Experiences of Student Nurses During Simulation of Perinatal Loss" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5381.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5381
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate nursing students in providing care following a perinatal loss simulation. The theories that guided this study included Malcolm Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy and the National League for Nursing Jeffries Simulation. The selected theories provide structure for adult learners’ need to experience situational learning activities that are relevant to their job while building upon the foundation of students’ knowledge. Incorporation of Knowles’ and Jeffries’ theories guides the qualitative study of the simulation of a perinatal loss and the experiences of nursing students in providing care during difficult situations involving death. Perinatal loss is defined as any unintentional loss, from conception to the first 28 days of life, encompassing miscarriage, therapeutic abortion for fetal abnormalities, stillbirths, or neonatal death. The central study question is: What are the experiences of perinatal loss and the impact of the experience on undergraduate student nurses? The data were collected in the university simulation lab and consisted of a three-participant group simulation with a standardized patient who had experienced a perinatal loss. Participants were juniors and seniors enrolled in or had completed their maternal-child health rotation. Audio-recorded interviews were conducted to understand the experiences of the 13 selected participants. The interviews were analyzed through computer software to code, annotate, and identify the emerging themes. Findings revealed a lack of death education, especially perinatal loss. Participants expressed a need for increased training to improve communication skills, human interaction, and confidence. Further research is recommended across the healthcare continuum.
