The Relationship between Theory and Measurement in Evaluations of Palliative Care Services

1987 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley F. Degner ◽  
Paul D. Henteleff ◽  
Carol Ringer
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Test Design ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Palliative Care Services ◽  
Symptom Distress Scale ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Distress Scale ◽  
The Relationship

Studies to determine the effectiveness of palliative care services have been limited by difficulties in measuring relevant dependent variables. While reliabilities of various measures have been reported for terminally ill populations, the broader issue of whether such measures are sensitive to the effects of palliative care services has not been addressed. Such assessments are essential if the relative efficacy of alternative models of palliative care (for example, inpatient facilities versus consultation teams) are to be determined. This pilot study used a specific theoretical framework, Brickman's models of helping and coping, to assess three measures in a pretest / post-test design with 29 patients admitted to an established palliative care unit. Results indicated that only one measure, the Symptom Distress Scale, was both reliable and sensitive to the effects of the service. The results suggested that evaluations of palliative care services may be influenced by the extent to which measures are empirical indicators of the model of helping used within the setting.

Community Palliative Care Nurses’ Challenges and Coping Strategies on Delivering Home-Based Pediatric Palliative Care

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
LeeAi Chong ◽  
Adina Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Pediatric Palliative Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Palliative Care Services ◽  
Communication Challenges ◽  
And Coping

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the experience of community palliative care nurses providing home care to children. Method: A qualitative study was conducted at the 3 community palliative care provider organizations in greater Kuala Lumpur from August to October 2014. Data were collected with semistructured interviews with 16 nurses who have provided care to children and was analyzed using thematic analysis. Two categories were identified: (1) challenges nurses faced and (2) coping strategies. The themes identified from the categories are (1) communication challenges, (2) inadequate training and knowledge, (3) personal suffering, (4) challenges of the system, (5) intrapersonal coping skills, (6) interpersonal coping strategies, and (7) systemic supports. Conclusions: These results reinforces the need for integration of pediatric palliative care teaching and communication skills training into all undergraduate health care programs. Provider organizational support to meet the specific needs of the nurses in the community can help retain them in their role. It will also be important to develop standards for current and new palliative care services to ensure delivery of quality pediatric palliative care.

Volunteering in hospice and palliative care in the United Kingdom

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ros Scott
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Strategic Direction ◽  
Palliative Care Services ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Hospice And Palliative Care ◽  
Changing Role

This chapter explores the history of volunteers in the founding and development of United Kingdom (UK) hospice services. It considers the changing role and influences of volunteering on services at different stages of development. Evidence suggests that voluntary sector hospice and palliative care services are dependent on volunteers for the range and quality of services delivered. Within such services, volunteer trustees carry significant responsibility for the strategic direction of the organiszation. Others are engaged in diverse roles ranging from the direct support of patient and families to public education and fundraising. The scope of these different roles is explored before considering the range of management models and approaches to training. This chapter also considers the direct and indirect impact on volunteering of changing palliative care, societal, political, and legislative contexts. It concludes by exploring how and why the sector is changing in the UK and considering the growing autonomy of volunteers within the sector.

Diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of depression in advanced disease

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Hotopf
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Advanced Disease ◽  
Antidepressant Treatment ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Palliative Care Services ◽  
Key Issues

Depression in palliative care is common, under-recognised and has significant impacts for sufferers. There are effective treatments but often a shortage of staff to provide them. This chapter sets out a number of key issues to consider when assessing and treating individual patients and considers the way in which palliative care services can innovate to provide a population level response to depression. Palliative care staff can be trained to deliver basic depression care and follow simple protocols to initiate, monitor and adjust antidepressant treatment. These approaches have been tested in trials in cancer care but the challenge is to take these approaches from research trials conducted in centres of excellence with good resources, to other settings.

scholarly journals Reluctance to Accept Palliative Care and Recommendations for Improvement: Findings From Semi-Structured Interviews With Patients and Caregivers

2021 ◽  
pp. 104990912110126
Author(s):  
Valeria Cardenas ◽  
Anna Rahman ◽  
Yujun Zhu ◽  
Susan Enguidanos
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Palliative Care Services

Background: Despite some insurance plans now paying for home-based palliative care, recent reports have suggested that insurance coverage for palliative care may be insufficient in expanding patient access to home-based palliative care. Aim: To identify patients’ and caregivers’ perceived barriers to home-based palliative care and their recommendations for overcoming these barriers. Design: We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured individual interviews. Our interview protocol elicited participants’ perspectives on home-based palliative care services; positive and negative aspects of the palliative program explanation; and suggestions for improving messaging around home-based palliative care. Setting/Participants: Twenty-five participants (patients, proxies, and their caregivers) who were eligible for a randomized controlled trial of home-based palliative care were interviewed by telephone. Results: Themes related to home-based palliative care referral barriers included reluctance to have home visits, enrollment timing, lack of palliative care knowledge, misconceptions about palliative care, and patients’ self-perceived health condition. Themes related to recommendations for overcoming these obstacles included ensuring that palliative care referrals come from healthcare providers or insurance companies and presenting palliative care services more clearly. Conclusion: Findings reinforce the need for additional palliative care education among patients with serious illness (and their caregivers) and the importance of delivering palliative care information and referrals from trusted sources.

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