scholarly journals A Meaning-centered spiritual care training program for hospice palliative care team in South Korea: development and preliminary evaluation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin-Jeong Kim ◽  
Kyung-Ah Kang ◽  
Do-Bong Kim ◽  
Myung-Hee Park ◽  
Soo-Jin Yoon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Spirituality is a fundamental and intrinsic aspect of human beings and should be a core component of quality palliative care. There is an urgent need for training of hospice palliative care teams (HPCTs) to enhance their competency to provide spiritual care. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a meaning-centered spiritual care training program for hospice palliative care teams (McSCTP-HPCT). Methods In this methodological study we developed a training program for HPCTs, using the ADDIE educational content developmental model. The final training program comprised five modules. The modules’ content was informed by Viktor Frankl’s meaning-centered logotherapy with its emphasis on spiritual resources as well as the spiritual care model of ISPEC (Interprofessional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum). Following development, a pilot test was conducted with four nurses. The results of the pilot were used to inform the final program. The final program was tested in an intervention involving 13 hospice palliative care nurses. Measurements using self-administered questionnaires were taken at three points before and after the intervention. Participants’ demographic and career-related characteristics and the degree of variance between outcome variables (compassion fatigue [CF], spiritual care competency [SCC], and spiritual care therapeutics [SCT]) were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and one-way ANOVA. Results The MCTP-HPCT was developed into five modules. Module I: The HPCT’s SCC evaluation, understanding the major concepts of spiritual care and logotherapy, Module II-IV: Meaning-centered intervention related to the spiritual needs (existential, relational, and transcendental/religious), Module V: The process of meaning-centered spiritual care. The preliminary evaluation showed a significant differences in all three outcome variables at the first measure point (CF, p = 0.037; SCC, p = 0.005; SCT, p = 0.002). At the second measure point statistical significance was found only with SCC (p = 0.006). Conclusions The MCTP-HPCT developed in this study is suitable for use in clinical settings and provides evidence for evaluating the spiritual care competency of HPCTs.

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung-Ah Kang ◽  
Shin-Jeong Kim ◽  
Do-Bong Kim ◽  
Myung-Hee Park ◽  
Soo-Jin Yoon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Spirituality is a fundamental, intrinsic aspect of human beings and should be a core component of quality palliative care. There is an urgent need to train hospice palliative care teams (HPCTs) to enhance their ability to provide spiritual care. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a meaning-centered, spiritual care training program (McSCTP) for HPCTs (McSCTP-HPCTs). Methods The modules’ content was informed by Viktor Frankl’s meaning-centered logotherapy with its emphasis on spiritual resources, as well as the spiritual care model of the Interprofessional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum (ISPEC). Following development, we conducted a pilot test with four nurses. We used the results to inform the final program, which we tested in an intervention involving 13 members of HPCTs. We took measurements using self-administered questionnaires at three points before and after the intervention. Using descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test, we analyzed the participants’ demographic and career-related characteristics, as well as the degree of variance between three outcome variables: compassion fatigue (CF), spiritual care competencies (SCCs), and spiritual care therapeutics (SCT). Results We divided the McSCTP-HPCTs into five modules. Module I: The HPCTs’ SCC evaluation, understanding the major concepts of spiritual care and logotherapy; Modules II-IV: Meaning-centered interventions (MCIs) related to spiritual needs (existential, relational, and transcendental/religious); Module V: The process of meaning-centered spiritual care. The preliminary evaluation revealed significant differences in all three outcome variables at the posttest point (CF, p = 0.037; SCCs, p = 0.005; SCT, p = 0.002). At the four-week follow-up test point, we only found statistical significance with the SCCs (p = 0.006). Conclusions The McSCTP-HPCTs is suitable for use in clinical settings and provides evidence for assessing the SCCs of HPCTs.


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 434-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Meijuan Yang ◽  
Yung Ying Tan ◽  
Yin Bun Cheung ◽  
Weng Kit Lye ◽  
Sock Hui Amy Lim ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTObjective:Physicians and nurses do not assess spirituality routinely, even though spiritual care is a vital part of palliative care for patients with an advanced serious illness. The aim of our study was to determine whether a training program for healthcare professionals on spirituality and the taking of a spiritual history would result in improved patient quality of life (QoL) and spiritual well-being.Method:This was a cluster-controlled trial of a spiritual care training program for palliative care doctors and nurses. Three of seven clinical teams (clusters) received the intervention, while the other four served as controls. Included patients were newly referred to the palliative care service, had an estimated survival of more than one month, and were aware of their diagnosis and prognosis. The primary outcome measure was the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT–Sp) patient-reported questionnaire, which patients completed at two timepoints. Total FACIT–Sp score includes the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT–G) questionnaire, which measures overall quality of life, as well as a spiritual well-being score.Results:Some 144 patients completed the FACIT–Sp at both timepoints—74 in the control group and 70 in the intervention group. The change in overall quality of life, measured by change in FACT–G scores, was 3.89 points (95% confidence interval [CI95%] = –0.42 to 8.19, p = 0.076) higher in the intervention group than in the control group. The difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of change in spiritual well-being was 0.32 (CI95% = –2.23 to 2.88, p = 0.804).Significance of results:A brief spiritual care training program can possibly help bring about enhanced improvement of global patient QoL, but the effect on patients' spiritual well-being was not as evident in our participants. Further study with larger sample sizes is needed to allow for more definite conclusions to be drawn.


Author(s):  
George Handzo ◽  
Christina Puchalski

Spirituality has been shown to be a key factor in how people understand illness and how they cope with suffering. It is especially important for people who have serious or chronic illness. Standards for palliative care include spiritual care as a required domain of palliative care. Models and recommendations have been developed to facilitate interprofessional spiritual care where all members of the team attend to the spiritual issues of patients with the professional chaplain being the expert in spiritual care in a generalist specialist model of care. Palliative care teams should have a professional chaplain with training in palliative care assigned. This chaplain functions as the spiritual care lead and the spiritual care specialist on the team.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piret Paal ◽  
Cornelia Brandstötter ◽  
Johannes Bükki ◽  
Frank Elsner ◽  
Anna Ersteniuk ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A multi-professional, post-graduate, one-week palliative care training program was piloted in November 2019 at the University of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. A formal evaluation of this program was performed. Methods This is a comparative, retrospective outcome-based evaluation of an educational intervention. Participants completed evaluation forms at the end of the course (post-intervention = T1), covering demographics, comparative retrospective self-assessment (40 items, 6-point Likert scale), organizational aspects, and general feedback (free text). At T1, the responses represent actual self-assessment, pre-interventional (T0) scores were generated by retrospective self-assessment. The Retrospective Performance Gain (RPG) was calculated on group level for the comparative self-assessment, demographic and organizational variables were analyzed by descriptive statistics, and free text answers were processed by qualitative methodology (content analysis). Results Fifty-three of 56 attendants from all professions relevant to palliative care completed the evaluation forms (response 94,6%), with mean age 39y (22–64) and mean working experience 13,6y (1–44). Overall ratings of the program were very positive. Comparative retrospective self-assessment demonstrated a marked RPG from T0 to T1 on all items. Free text comments emphasized the need for regular nation-wide educational programs and for further education in bereavement care; inter-professional practice; communication; palliative care philosophy; professional self-care; specific nursing skills; dementia care; and advocacy, while the general contribution of the program to palliative care development in Ukraine was acknowledged. Conclusions Systematic evaluation of a post-graduate international training program in palliative care may provide a mutual learning experience and map country-specific barriers and facilitators that have to be addressed when setting up palliative care services.


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 532-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margit Gratz ◽  
Piret Paal ◽  
Moritz Emmelmann ◽  
Traugott Roser

AbstractObjective:Hospice volunteers often encounter questions related to spirituality. It is unknown whether spiritual care receives a corresponding level of attention in their training. Our survey investigated the current practice of spiritual care training in Germany.Method:An online survey sent to 1,332 hospice homecare services for adults in Germany was conducted during the summer of 2012. We employed the SPSS 21 software package for statistical evaluation.Results:All training programs included self-reflection on personal spirituality as obligatory. The definitions of spirituality used in programs differ considerably. The task of defining training objectives is randomly delegated to a supervisor, a trainer, or to the governing organization. More than half the institutions work in conjunction with an external trainer. These external trainers frequently have professional backgrounds in pastoral care/theology and/or in hospice/palliative care. While spiritual care receives great attention, the specific tasks it entails are rarely discussed. The response rate for our study was 25.0% (n = 332).Significance of results:A need exists to develop training concepts that outline distinct contents, methods, and objectives. A prospective curriculum would have to provide assistance in the development of training programs. Moreover, it would need to be adaptable to the various concepts of spiritual care employed by the respective institutions and their hospice volunteers.


1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Kristjanson ◽  
Deborah Dudgeon ◽  
Fred Nelson ◽  
Paul Henteleff ◽  
Lynda Balneaves

Our study was a pilot test of an interdisciplinary training program in palliative care to improve the quality of care to terminally ill cancer and AIDS patients in rural and northern communities in Manitoba. The program involved two weeks of intense palliative care training for nurses, social workers, physicians, and volunteers. Four teams were trained during a six-month period. A repeated measures design was used to assess the effectiveness of the program. Results indicated that health professionals’ knowledge about care of the dying, care of individuals with HIV/AIDS, and attitudes toward care of the dying improved upon completion of the training program and remained improved three months following the program. Improvements in use of medications, increased attention to family care, increased discussion of DNR orders, and increased consultation related to symptom management were evident following the training program. The parallel training program for volunteers was also judged to be effective.


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