Care of a dying patient is a part of nursing care. End-of-life care differs from normal nursing care as the purpose is not to cure the patient. The aim is to enable a good death.

End-of-life care emphasises easing the pain and symptoms as well as providing support for the patient, too. It is very important to remember to take the family into account, because their well-being and good resources help the patient feel better, too. Teaching how to take care of a dying patient has been proven to be scarce although a registered nurse needs to be able to provide palliative and end-of-life care. The aim of this thesis was to increase nursing students’ ability to encounter and support a dying patient and his family.

The thesis assignment was to give lessons to the fifth semester nursing students at the Karelia University of Applied Sciences. The themes of these lessons were based on feedback received from an initial survey carried out before the lessons. The themes were the process of a end-of-life care, how to encounter a dying patient and support a dying patient and his family. Teaching methods included lectures, case stories and a digital game.