Death and Dying Attitude Through the Eyes of Nursing Students during Clinical Training: A Cross-Sectional Study in the United Arab Emirates

Background: Nursing students often encounter emotional challenges when facing death during their clinical training, which can negatively impact their academic performance and mental well-being. As they provide crucial support to patients and their families, this responsibility can induce significant stress. Objective: This study aims to examine nursing students’ attitudes toward death and dying and to identify the demographic and educational factors influencing their preparedness for end-of-life care in the United Arab Emirates context. Methods: In March 2025, a cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 122 nursing students (senior and junior) enrolled in clinical placements at a university in the United Arab Emirates. Data collection utilized the validated Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) and Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) scales as assessment tools. Results: The study showed that nursing students typically hold neutral attitudes toward caring for patients nearing the end of life. There are statistically significant correlations between age, education level, grade point average, clinical scores, and overall scores on the DAP-R scale, as well as the FATCOD Scale, among the participants. Conclusions: While many students showed some acceptance of death, high degrees of fear, avoidance, and escape acceptance had a significant impact on their views about end-of-life care. The findings indicate that emotional distress and insufficient training may act as impediments to compassionate treatment. Furthermore, the comparatively low FATCOD ratings indicate a need for better integration of palliative care instruction within the nursing curriculum. Structured clinical exposure, psychological coping mechanisms, and reflective learning opportunities could all be used to help students gain the essential confidence and emotional resilience.