Social Work Involvement in Advance Care Planning: Findings from a Large Survey of Social Workers in Hospice and Palliative Care Settings

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary L. Stein ◽  
John G. Cagle ◽  
Grace H. Christ
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Work Involvement ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Hospice And Palliative Care ◽  
Large Survey

What are social work students being taught about palliative care?

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 536-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary L. Stein ◽  
Cathy Berkman ◽  
Bonnie Pollak
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Advance Care

AbstractObjectivePalliative social workers have taken steps to increase the numbers of social workers trained and competent to deliver effective psychosocial palliative care. Despite these developments, masters of social work (MSW) programs have only begun to develop curricula preparing students for entry-level practice. This study sought to determine the type and extent of content areas included in MSW courses dedicated to palliative care or with content related to palliative care practice.MethodA cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was conducted. All 248 accredited MSW programs in the United States and 32 programs in Canada were invited to participate. Participants were asked to name the courses in their MSW program that were dedicated to, or included content on, palliative care, and submit the syllabi for these courses. Data comprised course content for each class session and required readings. A grounded theory approach was used to identify the topics covered.ResultOf the 105 participating programs that responded to the survey, 42 submitted 70 syllabi for courses with at least some palliative care content. There were 29 topics identified. The most common topic was grief, loss, and bereavement, followed closely by behavioral and mental health issues, and supporting family and friends; cultural perspectives and advance care planning were also common topics. For the 10 syllabi from courses dedicated to palliative care, supporting family was the most common topical area, followed closely by interprofessional practice and advance care planning.Significance of resultsAlthough there are many challenges to introducing palliative care content into MSW programs, including unqualified faculty and competing course material and electives of equally compelling content, there are model curricula for dedicated palliative care courses. With the large growth of palliative care programs, the time is ripe to add specialty palliative care courses and to add palliative care content into existing courses.

Connecting Personal Experiences of Loss and Professional Practices in Advance Care Planning and End-of-Life Care: A Survey of Providers

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1369-1376
Author(s):  
Cara L. Wallace ◽  
Dulce M. Cruz-Oliver ◽  
Jennifer E. Ohs ◽  
Leslie Hinyard
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Professional Practices ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Hospice And Palliative Care ◽  
Eol Care

Background: Although practitioners overwhelmingly agree on the importance of advance care planning (ACP) and preparing for the end of life (EOL), the process is fraught with barriers. Objective: The goal of this research was to explore potential connections between providers’ own personal experiences and current professional practices in ACP and EOL care. Design: A cross-sectional survey design, gathering voluntary, anonymous responses from participants between August and December 2016. The survey sought information from providers in 3 distinct areas: (1) personal experiences of loss, (2) personal ACP, and (3) professional practices related to ACP and EOL care. Setting/Participants: One hundred and ninety health-care professionals (primarily physicians, nurses, and social workers) participated in the survey across a greater, Metropolitan area in the Midwest. Measurements: Questions for professional practices were subscales from the End-of-Life Professional Caregiver Survey: Patient- and Family-Centered Communication (PFCC) and Effective Care Delivery (ECD). Questions developed by the research team were evaluated by judges chosen for clinical and/or research expertise. Results: Numerous connections were found between professionals’ histories of loss, personal ACP, and professional practices. For example, both clinicians with personal experience caring for someone who is dying and clinicians who had completed their own ACP scored higher in both PFCC and ECD and were more likely to refer patients to hospice and palliative care. Conclusions: Results support educational interventions involving opportunities for reflection and completion and communication about ACP. Additionally, educational opportunities for students in health care should focus on incorporating both ACP and greater exposure to hospice and palliative care.

Provider perceptions of the social work role in oncologic pain management.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (27_suppl) ◽  
pp. 214-214
Author(s):  
Claire Ralli ◽  
Michelle Bailiff ◽  
Crystal Fields-Burdick ◽  
Kali Gajewski ◽  
Tara Garza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽  
The Social ◽  
Advance Care

214 Background: Best practices of cancer care delivery have shifted from medical models to interdisciplinary approaches aimed at holistic care. The social work profession has advanced itself by gaining competence in psycho-oncology, advance care planning, biopsychosocial assessment and intervention, and pain management. While Masters prepared Social Workers (MSW) are widely recognized as experts in most of these areas, it appears that they are underutilized in pain management. This study will examine provider and nursing perceptions about social work expertise and whether those perceptions may limit utilization of social work in multidisciplinary management of cancer pain. Methods: While review of psycho-oncology literature supports the role of social work in pain management, this was not clearly indicated within the medical oncology domain. A survey was created to ascertain the perception of the MSW role in pain management as a supplement to pharmacologic and medically-based care when identifying and treating multidimensional pain. The survey was completed by Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, and Nurses in outpatient oncology practices in The US Oncology Network. Results: 139 medical professionals responded. As hypothesized, 88% reported they were comfortable with MSWs conducting Advance Care Planning, while 61% reported being comfortable with MSWs educating patients and families about pain management during palliative/end of life care. 95% believed unmet emotional, social, spiritual and existential needs can present as physiological pain, however only 55% indicated they would include Licensed Clinical Social Workers to provide therapeutic interventions as part of pain management. Conclusions: Under half of survey participants reported an understanding of the scope of social work practice, which aligns with the lack of awareness and under-utilization of social work as a vital contributor in oncologic pain management. MSWs have training in evidence-based interventions such as CBT, guided imagery, mindfulness and biofeedback techniques which may diminish the experience of pain. Further research is recommended to identify strategies to promote and integrate social work into multidisciplinary pain management.

Advance care planning in hospices and palliative care

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Russell ◽  
Simon Noble
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Care Approach ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Hospice And Palliative Care ◽  
Changing Role ◽  
Hospice Palliative Care

This chapter includes an overview of the role of the hospice and palliative care approach in advance care planning (ACP). Evidence, issues, challenges, and opportunities are discussed. The challenge of overlapping definitions and consensus about the hospice, palliative care, and advance care planning is highlighted as well as the changing role of the hospice and palliative care and implications for ACP is explored. New types of conversations are discussed e.g. living with dying, managing uncertainty, expectations, ceilings of treatment, investigations and dying in hospices. The way forward such as collaboration, co-ordination, and partnerships with other providers as well as a consistency of approach (within settings, roles, or person to person) is suggested.

Demenz aus palliativmedizinischer Perspektive: warum ein krankheitsspezifisches Advance Care Planning wichtig ist

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf J. Jox ◽  
Francesca Bosisio ◽  
Eve Rubli Truchard
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Menschen Mit Demenz

Zusammenfassung. Die Palliative Care muss sich im Zuge des demographischen Wandels vieler Gesellschaften rund um den Globus tiefgreifend wandeln. Sie muss mehr und mehr mit der Geriatrie zusammenarbeiten und geriatrische Expertise integrieren. Eine der zentralen Herausforderungen Geriatrischer Palliative Care ist die ethisch angemessene Therapieentscheidung für Menschen, die nicht mehr urteilsfähig sind. Nachdem der bisherige Ansatz herkömmlicher Patientenverfügungen erwiesenermassen enttäuscht hat, wird aktuell, gerade auch in deutschsprachigen Ländern, das systemische Konzept des Advance Care Planning (ACP) verfolgt. In diesem Artikel wird zunächst ACP mit seinen Zielen, Elementen und Effekten vorgestellt. Sodann wird gezeigt, weshalb es für Menschen mit Demenz eines adaptierten ACP-Programms bedarf und was ein solches demenzspezifisches ACP beinhalten muss.

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