Thanatology teaching in undergraduate nursing programs

Abstract

Objective: to identify the theme thanatology in the curricular components of undergraduate nursing courses. Method: quantitative, descriptive, exploratory and documentary research. The sources were the pedagogical project and the curricular matrix published on the websites of Higher Education Institutions in Bahia according to the criteria: in-class course active in 2015 and recognized by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Results: of the 31 institutions registered, five were public and 24 private; and 4 offered the subject Thanatology. The initial contact with thanatology was in the 3rd semester (37% of institutions), 2nd semester (31%), 1st and 4th semesters (13.8%). None of the websites displayed all the information, and the curriculum matrix was the most available document (68.9%). Conclusion: the number of institutions that included the approach of thanatology in their curricula since the start of the nurses' training was still small, despite its importance, establishing close relationships with people and families in the processes of death and dying.