04/07/2025
💙Over the last few weeks, we've had the privilege of welcoming Jess into our office🤍
Jess is a nursing apprentice who chose to do part of her work placement with us at Crabtree and Son. Now she has come to the end of her time with us, we asked Jess a few questions about what she thinks she has gained from her time with us, what she has learnt, and how she feels it will connect with her future in nursing.
Here's what she had to say;
What inspired you to do your placement in the funeral industry, and how do you think it connects with nursing?
I have family connections within the funeral industry and have previous experience of end of life care within the NHS, so I was interested to see the “other side” of care after death and how families are guided through the difficult time of bereavement.
What has surprised you most about working in the funeral industry?
I’ve seen that some nursing principles cross over within the funeral profession, such as preserving safety and promoting professionalism and trust with loved ones. This is something I maybe didn’t expect to see. I have also been surprised at the level of detailed planning and meticulous time-keeping that is involved with funerals.
How do you think this experience will shape your understanding of end-of-life care and the grieving process?
This experience has given me a deeper knowledge and understanding of how people are cared for after death, and the policies and procedures within the funeral industry that ensure dignified and ethical care is provided at all times.
As strange as it may sound, I have found that funerals are a very individualised process and the arranging of a funeral is different from person to person (like care plans are within a hospital setting). Families are encouraged and supported to make choices based on their own beliefs and preferences and no two funerals tend to be the same. I have also seen that discussing death and dying comes very naturally within the funeral industry due to the nature of the work. I feel that other care settings would benefit from a more open approach like that found within the funeral industry, which would in turn benefit the grieving families.
What would you say to other nursing students considering a placement in a setting like this?
The funeral industry is a profession some people rarely consider especially younger adults perhaps due to social ‘taboos’, but the knowledge and skills funeral directors possess can help to improve how end of life care is provided meaning better patient and family experiences. Some students may also experience hospice or care home placements so I think knowledge of a funeral setting would be beneficial to help them to understand care after death and how all these organisations have to work collaboratively.
Do you think that there are any skills you have learnt whilst here that will help you in your future nursing career?
I think this experience has helped me to build on existing skills I had from my work within the NHS. I now feel I have a deeper understanding of how to speak with bereaved families which will help me to guide and support them during a difficult time. In future, being able to explain to families what happens to their loved ones after death, and the procedures they need to follow to allow a funeral to take place will help me to improve future care I provide. Hopefully this will help to ease the grieving process and help reduce anxiety at the time of arranging a funeral.
We understand that the funeral industry may not the most traditional setting for a nurse-in-training, but we hope it has been a meaningful and educational experience for Jess, and we hope you will join us in wishing her all the best in her future studies!
