The Empty Desk

Abstract

The unimaginable suddenly happens; without warning, a nursing student suddenly dies, creating an aftermath of emotional turmoil for peers and faculty. Upon receipt of the news, classmates are in absolute disbelief and shock, and struggle to comprehend the reality of the death. For many of these young adults, this is the first experience with peer death. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the grief experiences, coping strategies, and reactions of nursing students following the sudden death of a classmate. Purposive sampling yielded nine participants from four different universities who experienced the death of their classmate within the previous year. Nine major themes emerged as the participants reflected on their emotional struggle with grief, both as a peer and a member of a helping profession. This study yielded a rich understanding of the grief experience for nursing students, while providing insights for policy development and supportive interventions for faculty, counselors, and administrators.