Dataset Information

Nurses' experiences of compassionate care in the palliative pathway.

ABSTRACT:

Aims and objectives

The aim was to explore how nurses experience compassionate care for patients with cancer and family caregivers in different phases of the palliative pathway.

Background

Compassion is fundamental to palliative care and viewed as a cornerstone of high-quality care provision. Healthcare authorities emphasize that patients should have the opportunity to stay at home for as long as possible. There are, however, care deficiencies in the palliative pathway.

Design

This study employed a qualitative design using focus groups and a hermeneutic approach.

Methods

Four focus groups with three to seven female nurses in each group were conducted in Mid-Norway in 2018. Nurses' ages ranged from 28-60 years (mean age = 45 years), and they were recruited through purposive sampling (N = 21). Compassionate care was chosen as the theoretical framework. Reporting followed the COREQ guidelines.

Results

Three themes expressing compassionate care related to different phases of the pathway were identified: (a) information and dialogue, (b) creating a space for dying and (c) family caregivers' acceptance of death.

Conclusions

This study showed that it was crucial to create a space for dying, characterized by trust, collaboration, good relationships, empathy, attention, silence, caution, slowness, symptom relief and the absence of noise and conflict.

Relevance to clinical practice

The quality of compassion possessed by individual practitioners, as well as the overall design of the healthcare system, must be considered when creating compassionate care for patients and their family caregivers. Nursing educators and health authorities should pay attention to the development of compassion in education and practice. Further research should highlight patients' and family caregivers' experiences of compassionate care and determine how healthcare systems can support compassionate care.

SUBMITTER: Skorpen Tarberg A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7756377 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Nurses' experiences of compassionate care in the palliative pathway.

Skorpen Tarberg Anett A Landstad Bodil J BJ Hole Torstein T Thronaes Morten M Kvangarsnes Marit M

Journal of clinical nursing 20201025 23-24

<h4>Aims and objectives</h4>The aim was to explore how nurses experience compassionate care for patients with cancer and family caregivers in different phases of the palliative pathway.<h4>Background</h4>Compassion is fundamental to palliative care and viewed as a cornerstone of high-quality care provision. Healthcare authorities emphasize that patients should have the opportunity to stay at home for as long as possible. There are, however, care deficiencies in the palliative pathway.<h4>Design< ...[more]

PMID: 33031582

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND:With a growing world population, a longer life expectancy, and more deaths due to chronic diseases, the need for palliative care is increasing. Palliative care aims to alleviate suffering and to promote well-being for patients with progressive, incurable disease or injury. E-Health entails using of information and communication technology for healthcare provision. It is unclear to how patients experience use of eHealth technology within palliative care. METHODS:The aim of this study was to describe patients' experiences of eHealth in palliative care. A systematic integrative review was performed using six databases: Cinahl Complete; MEDLINE; PubMed; Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection; Nursing and Allied Health; and PsycINFO. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria of adult patients in palliative care, English language, published 2014-2019: comprising 397 patients. Six studies were from European countries, four from North America, one from South America and one from Oceania. Seven were feasibility or pilot studies. RESULTS:The findings are synthesized in the main theme: E-health applications - promoting communication on patients' and families' terms, and three sub- themes: usability and feasibility of eHealth applications; symptom control and individualized care; and use of eHealth applications increased sense of security and patient safety. Patients' experiences were that eHealth promoted individualized care, sense of security, better symptom management and participation in care. Communication was facilitated by the inherent flexibility provided by technology. CONCLUSIONS:E-Health applications seem promising in promoting equal, individualized care, and may be a tool to endorse accessibility and patient participation in palliative care settings. Indications are that eHealth communication resulted in patients and families receiving more information, which contributed to experiences of patient safety and feelings of security. At organizational and societal levels, eHealth may contribute to sustainable development and more efficient use of resources.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Telehealth is increasingly being used in home care and could be one measure to support the needs of home-based patients receiving palliative care. However, no previous scoping review has mapped existing studies on the use of telehealth for patients in palliative home care. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to map and assess published studies on the use of telehealth for patients in palliative home care. METHODS:A scoping review was conducted using the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley. Reporting was guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A systematic and comprehensive search of Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health was performed for studies published between January 2000 and October 2018. Two authors independently assessed eligibility and extracted data. RESULTS:The review included 22 papers from 19 studies. Four thematic groupings were identified among the included papers: easy and effortless use of telehealth regardless of the current health condition, visual features that enhance communication and care via telehealth, symptom management and self-management promotion by telehealth, and perceptions of improved palliative care at home. CONCLUSIONS:The use of telehealth in palliative home care seems to be feasible, improving access to health care professionals at home and enhancing feelings of security and safety. The visual features of telehealth seem to allow a genuine relationship with health care professionals. However, there are contradicting results on whether the use of telehealth improves burdensome symptoms and quality of life. Future research should investigate the experiences of using telehealth among patients with life-limiting illness other than cancer and patients aged 85 years or older. More research is needed to increase the body of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of telehealth on symptoms and quality of life.

Project description:BackgroundGeneralists such as general practitioners and district nurses have been the main actors in community palliative care in Norway. Specialised oncology nurses with postgraduate palliative training are increasingly becoming involved. There is little research on their contribution. This study explores how general practitioners (GPs) and oncology nurses (ONs) experience their collaboration in primary palliative care.MethodsA qualitative focus group and interview study in rural Northern Norway, involving 52 health professionals. Five uni-professional focus group discussions were followed by five interprofessional discussions and six individual interviews. Transcripts were analysed thematically.ResultsThe ideal cooperation between GPs and ONs was as a "meeting of experts" with complementary competencies. GPs drew on their generalist backgrounds, including their often long-term relationship with and knowledge of the patient. The ONs contributed longitudinal clinical observations and used their specialised knowledge to make treatment suggestions. While ONs were often experienced and many had developed a form of pattern recognition, they needed GPs' competencies for complex clinical judgements. However, ONs sometimes lacked timely advice from GPs, and could feel left alone with sick patients. To avoid this, some ONs bypassed GPs and contacted palliative specialists directly. While traditional professional hierarchies were not a barrier, we found that organization, funding and remuneration were significant barriers to cooperation. GPs often did not have time to meet with ONs to discuss shared patients. We also found that ONs and GPs had different strategies for learning. While ONs belonged to a networking nursing collective aiming for continuous quality improvement, GPs learned mostly from their individual experience of caring for patients.ConclusionsThe complementary competences and autonomous roles of a specialised nurse and a general practitioner represented a good match for primary palliative care. When planning high-quality teamwork in primary care, organizational barriers to cooperation and different cultures for learning need consideration.

Dataset Information

Nurses' experiences of compassionate care in the palliative pathway.

Aims and objectives

Background

Design

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Relevance to clinical practice

Publications

Nurses' experiences of compassionate care in the palliative pathway.

Similar Datasets

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