Exploring Nursing Students’ Perceptions of English Learning for Palliative Care Communication

Linauli Happy Christina Zega; Elyin Artha Karlina Lumban Gaol; Enni Juliani; Ribka Sabarina Panjaitan; Yarwin Yari; Resti Amalia

doi:10.61255/itej.v4i2.1263

Authors

Linauli Happy Christina Zega Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan RS Husada
Elyin Artha Karlina Lumban Gaol Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan RS Husada
Enni Juliani Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan RS Husada
Ribka Sabarina Panjaitan Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan RS Husada
Yarwin Yari Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan RS Husada
Resti Amalia Universitas Bangka Belitung

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61255/itej.v4i2.1263

Keywords:

Communication skills, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Nursing education, Palliative care, Student perception

Abstract

Effective communication combining clinical competence with empathy and cultural sensitivity is central to quality palliative care. In globalized healthcare, English proficiency has become essential for nursing students, not only as a professional tool but as a medium for compassionate, ethical communication. This study aims to explore nursing students’ perceptions of learning English for palliative care communication, identify the challenges they face in developing empathetic and clinical language competence, and propose pedagogical strategies to enhance English-for-Nursing curricula. A mixed-method research design was employed with undergraduate nursing students from STIKes RS Husada, Jakarta. Data were gathered through questionnaires of all 40 students, and semi-structured interviews were conducted online with 10 selected students. The results of the study showed that students' perception of the importance of English in palliative care communication was in the agree and strongly agree categories, with an average overall score of 81.5%. The highest indicator was the importance of English for the future career of a nurse. The result also highlighted that 42% of students experienced challenges in learning English for palliative care, namely expressing empathy, understanding vocabulary, role-playing, limited opportunities to practice, and cultural differences. Interview data confirmed that students recommend role-play, simulation, peer dialogue, and multimedia immersion for improvement, highlighting interactive and experiential learning strategies

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