Design of a Palliative Care Program for Nursing Students in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Mixed-Method Study

Abstract

This study introduces an innovative design for a palliative care program by nursing students in an internship in a neonatal intensive care unit. An embedded mixed-method approach simultaneously collected quantitative and qualitative data. Themes identified were supporting and encouraging palliative care, changing the nursing culture, and promoting quality of care. Teaching palliative care during this internship rotation helped promote quality care by the students, with positive results for infants and their families, and empowerment of the students through increased knowledge and awareness of human needs for high-quality nursing care.