scholarly journals A Qualitative Study About How Nurses in Belgium Offer Relationship Support to Couples in Palliative Care

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-51
Author(s):  
Charlotte Benoot ◽  
Paul Enzlin ◽  
Lieve Peremans ◽  
Johan Bilsen
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Observational Research ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Advanced Illness ◽  
Care Environment ◽  
Family Nursing ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Do So

Although palliative care nurses are identified as key players in supporting couples during advanced illness, there is a lack of evidence about their knowledge and experiences with this particular role. The aim of the study was to explore palliative care nurses’ attitudes, roles, and experiences in addressing relationship functioning of couples in daily practice. A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews, observational research, and peer debriefing groups with palliative care nurses in Flanders, Belgium. Nurses support relationship functioning by creating a couple-positive care environment, by being present/acknowledging feelings, and by rectifying imbalances between couples. They do so in a proactive way, backed up by team support. Nurses hesitate toward explicitly unraveling and intervening in relationship problems, in favor of providing comfort or offering a strengths-based approach. The findings offer an urgent call to enhance the educational programs for palliative care nurses by integrating the theories and practice frameworks that guide relational assessment and intervention, which are being used in family nursing.

scholarly journals The Challenges, Coping Mechanisms, and the Needs of the Inhospital Parents Caring for Children with Life-limiting Neurological Disorders: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Fahisham Taib ◽  
Khoo Teik Beng ◽  
Lee Chee Chan
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Neurological Disorders ◽  
English Language ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Neurological Conditions ◽  
Depth Interviews

Objective: Parents who have children with complex lifelong and life-limiting neurological conditions experienced many stresses and anxieties throughout their lives as caregivers. However, this information is still very limited. The study aimed to explore the challenges faced by parents with children who have complex neurological conditions, their coping strategies, needs, and expectations. Materials and Methods: A semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted in the either Malay or English language among the parents of children with complex lifelong neurological conditions and have been on long-term in-patient hospital care. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis. The qualitative study was conducted from October to November 2016 at the Paediatric Institute of Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Grounded theory was used to examine the qualitative data with inductive and deductive types of coding. The transcripts were read repeatedly to allow familiarity to the themes presented by the participants. Further discussions were conducted among the researchers to triangulate the information. Results: A total of 11 parents were interviewed for this study. The thematic analysis resulted in 8 challenges: Physical wellbeing, Environment, Relationship, Financial, Occupational, Rational, Mental, and Spiritual. Coping strategies comprised problem focused issues related to the key challenges in the caregivers’ context. Similar to the needs and expectations, the key themes were derived from the key understandings of the challenges and looking at the palliative care impacts for these children. Conclusion: There are various challenges faced by parents of children with life-limiting neurological disorders. Physical, Environment, Relationship, Financial, Occupational, Rational, Mental, and Spiritual Wellbeing can be a platform for the assessment of the caregivers’ needs and the planning for palliative care support.

Education of residents in palliative and hospice care.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 118-118
Author(s):  
Ela Eris ◽  
Shyam Ravisankar ◽  
Jennifer A Larosa
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Palliative Medicine ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Advanced Illness ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Interactive Lecture

118 Background: Patients with chronic advanced illness have a heavy burden of physical and emotional symptoms. In addition to these symptoms, social and spiritual supports are fundamental tenets of palliative care (PC). PC is most effective when delivered early and when routine reassessments are undertaken. Ideally, it is woven into the daily practice of all practitioners. However, current medical education has far too little education around this vital discipline in their curricula. We hypothesized that a single palliative medicine didactic experience would increase practitioners’ familiarity with core concepts of PC. Methods: Palliative care education was delivered as a single interactive lecture for 27 Internal Medicine residents. Information was primarily derived from resources from the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). The lecture focused on the definition of PC, optimal symptom management and support structures in palliative medicine, and how palliative medicine differs from hospice care (HC). An online questionnaire with ten questions was used to assess pre- and post-lecture knowledge of fundamentals of this discipline. Results: 27 residents participated in the pre-test and 23 participated in post-test. The overall pre-test score was 70% and the post-lecture score was 77%. The biggest difference was seen in the comfort level of first year residents in referring patients to PC and the purpose of PC. Residents had good baseline knowledge of when to refer to HC and the purpose of HC. Conclusions: A single, interactive lecture based on the fundamental tenets of hospice and palliative medicine can improve residents’ knowledge of this discipline. [Table: see text]

scholarly journals The GP’s perceived role and use of language concerning the existential dimension of palliative patients

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara T. Busser ◽  
Jeanne Rens ◽  
Bregje Thoonsen ◽  
Yvonne Engels ◽  
Anne B. Wichmann
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
World View ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Dutch Guideline ◽  
Impending Death ◽  
Existential Dimension ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Seriously Ill ◽  
Existential Issues ◽  
Palliative Patients

Abstract Background: Palliative patients have to cope with their disease and impending death. Knowing what this means for a patient is crucial for person-centrered care. Although guidelines state it is a GP core task to explore existential issues of palliative patients, this is not standard practice.Aim: Exploring Dutch GPs’ perceived role regarding addressing the existential dimension of palliative patients, and which vocabulary is used.Design and Setting: Qualitative study among Dutch GPs. Participants were recruited by purposive sampling and snowballing, considering gender, working experience and world view.Method: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were performed, transcribed and analysed using content analysis.Results: Seventeen GPs participated. Three themes were identified: Language, Perceived role and Practice. Interviewees generally saw it as their role to pay attention to the existential dimension of their palliative patients. However, not all knew how to define this role, or how to refer patients with existential struggles to a spiritual counsellor. The multidisciplinary Dutch guideline ‘Existential and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care’ seemed largely unknown. Interviewees mostly fulfilled their role in an intuitive, pragmatic way. Questions such as “What does it mean for you to be seriously ill?” or “Do you have support from someone or something?” fitted daily practice.Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of basic GP education in exploring existential issues. The coexistence of a professionally obliged attention and an intuitive approach seems to be in conflict. We recommend enhancing collaboration between GPs and spiritual counsellors, appropriate training, and implementation of the relevant guideline on well-known platforms.

An Exploration of Aftercare Services for Female Drug Users

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Talent Mhangwa ◽  
Madhu Kasiram ◽  
Sibonsile Zibane
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Rehabilitation Centre ◽  
Aftercare Services ◽  
Data Source ◽  
Female Drug Users ◽  
Depth Interviews

The number of female drug users has been on the rise in South Africa, with statistics reflecting a rise in the number of women who attend treatment centres annually. This article presents empirical data from a broader qualitative study which aimed to explore perceptions concerning the effectiveness of aftercare programmes for female recovering drug users. The main data source was transcripts of in-depth interviews and focus groups with both service users and service providers from a designated rehabilitation centre in Gauteng, South Africa. Framed within a biopsychosocial-spiritual model, this article explores the perceptions and meanings which the female recovering drug users and the service providers attach to aftercare programmes. The findings of the research outlined the range of factors promoting recovery, alongside noteworthy suggestions for improvement in aftercare services. While acknowledging multiple influences on behaviour, this article highlights the significance of these findings in planning and implementing holistic aftercare programmes.

Happiness at the end of life: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Tan Seng Beng ◽  
Wong Ka Ghee ◽  
Ng Yun Hui ◽  
Ooi Chieh Yin ◽  
Khoo Wei Shen Kelvin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Terminal Illness ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Pain And Suffering ◽  
The University ◽  
Eudaimonic Happiness

Abstract Objective Dying is mostly seen as a dreadful event, never a happy experience. Yet, as palliative care physicians, we have seen so many patients who remained happy despite facing death. Hence, we conducted this qualitative study to explore happiness in palliative care patients at the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Method Twenty terminally ill patients were interviewed with semi-structured questions. The results were thematically analyzed. Results Eight themes were generated: the meaning of happiness, connections, mindset, pleasure, health, faith, wealth, and work. Our results showed that happiness is possible at the end of life. Happiness can coexist with pain and suffering. Social connections were the most important element of happiness at the end of life. Wealth and work were given the least emphasis. From the descriptions of our patients, we recognized a tendency for the degree of importance to shift from the hedonic happiness to eudaimonic happiness as patients experienced a terminal illness. Significance of results To increase the happiness of palliative care patients, it is crucial to assess the meaning of happiness for each patient and the degree of importance for each happiness domain to allow targeted interventions.

scholarly journals Understanding the Occupational Adaptation Process and Well-Being of Older Adults in Magallanes (Chile): A Qualitative Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (19) ◽  
pp. 3640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Palma ­Candia ◽  
Hueso­Montoro ◽  
Martí-García ◽  
Fernández-Alcántara ◽  
Campos-Calderón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Adaptation Process ◽  
Occupational Adaptation ◽  
Use Of Time ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Interpretative Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Background: Aging and longevity are important topics nowadays. Purpose: To describe how older adults perform the occupational adaptation process in the extreme region of Magallanes (Chile), and to identify the factors that might contribute to successful occupational adaptation and well-being. Method: Qualitative study, with a phenomenological interpretative approach. In-depth interviews were carried out with 16 older adults, with high or low levels of well-being, assessed with the Ryff Scale. An inductive content analysis according to Elo and Kyngäs was performed. Findings: Resilience, self-esteem and interdependence with significant others are key elements that promote well-being. Participants develop strategies to minimize the effects of environmental factors. The occupation’s function in terms of socialization, use of time, and social participation is revealed as a conditioning factor of occupational adaptation. Implications: Interventions with older people to achieve a successful occupational adaptation process must take into consideration the commitment to meaningful activities.

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