Post-Death Encounters: Grieving, Mourning, and Healing

2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine R. Nowatzki ◽  
Ruth Grant Kalischuk
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
Healing Effect ◽  
Historical Accounts ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Interpretive Process ◽  
Healing Processes

Historical accounts and previous research have shown that bereaved individuals often report seeing, hearing, or feeling the presence of the deceased. We examined such encounters in the context of the grieving, mourning, and healing processes. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 individuals who reported a post-death encounter following the death of a loved one. Phenomenological analysis showed that participants went through an interpretive process in which they attempted to make sense of their experiences. The encounters profoundly affected the participants' beliefs in an afterlife and attitudes toward life and death, and had a significant impact on their grief. Finally, post-death encounters had a healing effect on the participants by contributing to a sense of connectedness with the deceased. We conclude that health care professionals and counselors should be educated about post-death encounters so that the bereaved can share their experiences in a supportive and understanding atmosphere.

scholarly journals Hidden Tales of Ebola: Airing the Forgotten Voices of Ugandan “Ebola Nurses”

2021 ◽  
pp. 104365962110179
Author(s):  
Isaac Okello Wonyima ◽  
Susan Fowler-Kerry ◽  
Grace Nambozi ◽  
Charlotte Barry ◽  
Jeanie Wills ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Access To Treatment ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Free Health Care ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Holistic Practice ◽  
Phenomenological Design ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Current Reality

Introduction According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola has affected the lives of thousands, including health care workers. With few studies describing the experience of nurses who survived Ebola, the study aimed to describe Ugandan nurses’ experiences. Method Using a phenomenological design, in-depth interviews were conducted among five Ugandan nurses who contracted Ebola and survived. Result Thematic analysis revealed themes of expectations of dying, hopelessness, loneliness, and betrayal by family, community, and the health system. Discussion Results support the need for policies targeting holistic practice protocols to protect all health care professionals during future outbreaks. Last, nursing survivors should have access to government-guaranteed support programs, including free health care and financial stipends. These results and recommendations transcend to the current reality of living with COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). Efficient practice protocols could protect all rights and privileges and contribute to access to treatment and stigma removal.

Reclaiming and Reshaping Life: Patterns of Reconstruction After the Suicide of a Loved One

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 994-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dolores Angela Castelli Dransart
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Suicide Survivors ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Life Patterns ◽  
Survivors Of Suicide ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

The objective of this study is to identify patterns (components and processes) of reconstruction of suicide survivors. In-depth interviews were conducted with 50 survivors of suicide in Switzerland. Data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti and according to the Grounded Theory principles. Survivors of suicide face four major challenges: dealing with the impact of suicide, searching for meaning, clarifying responsibility, and finding a personal style of reaction and coping. The various ways in which survivors fare through the specific processes of the challenges result in various patterns of reconstruction: the vulnerability, transformation, commitment, and hard blow. The unique characteristics and dynamics of each of them are highlighted. Health care providers would benefit from an approach based on the dynamics of the various patterns of reconstruction in providing appropriate support to survivors of suicide.

scholarly journals ‘It’s what you do that makes a difference’ An interpretative phenomenological analysis of health care professionals and home care workers experiences of nutritional care for people living with dementia at home

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Mole ◽  
Bridie Kent ◽  
Mary Hickson ◽  
Rebecca Abbott
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Nutritional Care ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Home Care Workers ◽  
At Home

Abstract Background People living with dementia at home are a group who are at increased risk of malnutrition. Health care professionals and home care workers, are ideally placed to support nutritional care in this vulnerable group. Yet, few, if any studies, have captured the experiences of these workers in respect of treating and managing nutritional issues. This interpretative phenomenological study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of the nutritional care of people living with dementia at home from the perspectives of health care professionals and home care workers. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted between December 2017 and March 2018, and supplemented with the use of a vignette outlining a scenario of a husband caring for his wife with dementia. Health care professionals and home care workers were purposively recruited from local care providers in the south west of England, who had experience of working with people with dementia. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used throughout. Results Seven participants took part including two home care workers, a general practitioner, dietitian, occupational therapist, nurse and social worker. The time in their professions ranged from 3 to 15 years (mean = 8.9 years). Following analysis, four superordinate themes were identified: ‘responsibility to care’, ‘practice restrained by policy’, ‘in it together’, and ‘improving nutritional care’. This group of health care professionals and home care workers recognised the importance of improving nutritional care for people living with dementia at home, and felt a responsibility for it. However they felt that they were restricted by time and/or knowledge. The importance of supporting the family carer and working collaboratively was highlighted. Conclusions Health care professionals and home care workers require further training to better equip them to provide nutritional care for people living with dementia at home. Models of care may also need to be adapted to enable a more flexible and tailored approach to incorporate nutritional care. Future work in this area should focus on how health care professionals and home care workers can be better equipped to screen for malnutrition, and support changes to nutritional intake to mitigate malnutrition risk.

scholarly journals Hjelpsomme relasjoner. En kvalitativ undersøkelse av samarbeidet mellom brukere med alvorlige psykiske lidelser og rusproblemer og fagpersoner i to oppsøkende team

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Turid Møller Olsø ◽  
Arve Almvik ◽  
Reidun Norvoll
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Assertive Outreach ◽  
Good Relation ◽  
Work Done ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews

<p>Helpful relations. A quality study about the alliance between users with serious mental health problems and health care professionals in two outreach teams.</p><p>In recent years Norway has established various types of assertive outreach teams in community based mental health care. The article examines the importance of the quality of the alliance between health care professionals and users in two assertive outreach teams. More specifically, we describe the common characteristics of a good relation, pointed out by both users and professionals, and the methods that are thought to support these relationships. The study has a qualitative design and data was gathered through semi structured in-depth interviews of 19 professionals and 9 users. The study concludes that helpful relationships are characterized by contact and equality, and that interaction through everyday activities helped strengthen the working alliance. Our results confirm recent research that highlights the importance of the quality of the relationship as a prerequisite for good care, and the importance of the tacit knowledge used and informal work done by professionals interacting with users.</p>

scholarly journals Working on the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study of Physical Therapists’ Experience in Spain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domingo Palacios-Ceña ◽  
César Fernández-de-las-Peñas ◽  
María Palacios-Ceña ◽  
Ana I de-la-Llave-Rincón ◽  
Lidiane L Florencio
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Purposeful Sampling ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract Objective Knowledge of the experiences of health care professionals who have actively worked on the first line of the COVID-19 pandemic could help in identifying specific professional duties focused on health assistance objectives. No qualitative study has yet been published describing the experience of physical therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to describe and explore the experiences and perspectives of physical therapists working in public hospitals in Madrid, Spain, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A qualitative exploratory study was conducted based on an interpretive framework. Thirty physical therapists working at 11 national public hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak were recruited by purposeful sampling and snowball techniques. In-depth interviews and researchers’ field notes were used to collect data. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify emerging themes. Results After identifying 3912 codes and 13 categories, 3 themes emerged. First theme was “Call of Duty,” COVID-19 infection dramatically spread, the hospitals were contaminated and overwhelmed, and all floors were converted into COVID-19 wards. Second theme was “Working in War Time.” Every day, therapists were given “the war report,” receiving their orders, meeting protective personal equipment requirements, and doing a job with fear. Third theme was “When I Arrive at Home.” Working during the pandemic had an impact on the therapists’ families and the information shared with them. Conclusions Physical therapists described the COVID-19 outbreak as an apocalyptic and unexpected war. Comprehensive support is needed for all frontline health care professionals. The COVID-19 outbreak revealed that health care systems were not prepared for a pandemic. Impact This is the first qualitative study to be published describing the experience of physical therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patient experiences and implications for consultation outcomes and treatment adherence using mHealth applications among health care professionals (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuhal Kathy Keeling
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Treatment Adherence ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Coping Behaviors ◽  
Services Delivery ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

BACKGROUND mHealth is a broad term for the use of mobile communication devices for healthcare services delivery. The use of mobile devices by health care professionals (HCPs) has transformed many aspects of clinical training and practice. However, there are still gaps in knowledge concerning patient perception of the use of mHealth technologies by HCP during secondary care consultations. OBJECTIVE To explore the impact on patient experience and implications for consultation outcomes and treatment adherence. Introduction of new technological application into interactions that have very set expectations and roles and possibility for attendant disruption of patient expectations. METHODS This paper explores, via in-depth interviews, patient opinions regarding the usage of mHealth applications by health care professionals (HCPs) during consultations, identifying the paradoxes and coping behaviors to deal with those paradoxes. This qualitative study recruited ten respondents using purposive sampling and snowballing techniques through in-depth interviews. RESULTS The results comprise paradoxes and coping behaviors. They showed that convenience, time savings, accuracy of diagnosis and reduction of errors are the important elements for using mHealth for both HCP and patient. In addition, respondents perceived that mobile health apps facilitate HCP engagement of patients and assist explanations and better patient understanding. Interaction and the quality of the interaction were acknowledged as significant in HCP-patient communication and patient compliance with treatment. CONCLUSIONS To sum, many patients were responsive to the idea of mHealth, both by the doctor and themselves, but wanted to have regulation of use of apps, better involvement and explanations and not have the doctor lose focus on the patient, that is, the feeling of personalized treatment. They also were worried that the HCP might seem to ignore the patient or withdraw from the type of interaction that makes the consultation ‘human.’

scholarly journals Bridge Over Troubled Waters: End-of-Life (EOL) Decisions, A Qualitative Case Study

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Callahan ◽  
Nancy Maldonado ◽  
Joan Efinger
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Advanced Directives ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
The Social ◽  
Eol Care ◽  
Share Information

This case study investigated the psychological and emotional experiences of nine health care professionals who attended a Five Wishes seminar, designed to acquaint participants with thinking holistically about death. All the self-selected participants had experienced the death of a loved one and indicated they were able to discuss death issues. Data collection included interviews, observations, physical artifacts, and the Five Wishes documents. Content analysis was the central technique used to identify themes. Findings indicated participants attended the EOL seminar to share information with their colleagues and patients; the information also interested them personally. However, facing death and making EOL care decisions were difficult for the participants. The EOL seminars educated them regarding some of the mysteries and problem s of EOL care and offered them some solutions and insights bot h professionally and personally. This study has implications for educators and health care professionals: 1) EOL decisions are facilitated by the social support of group settings . 2) Reluctance about facing death can be reduced by comprehensive, lifelong education beginning in the early childhood years and culminating with holistic advanced directives such as the Five Wishes.

scholarly journals Understanding the Relationship Between Professional Regulation and Professional Identity in Health Care

2020 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-14
Author(s):  
Michael Warren ◽  
Christine Braithwaite
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Health Care Practitioner ◽  
Professional Regulation ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews

ABSTRACT Since 2016, the Professional Standards Authority in the United Kingdom (UK) has been building an evidence base to understand the relationship between professional regulation and professional identity of health care professionals. Professional identity can greatly impact the practice of health professionals. To better understand the relationship between professional regulation and professional identity, we conducted a literature review, which gathered definitions of professional identity and analysis of identity among health care professionals. We then commissioned the administration of 16 in-depth interviews with UK health care practitioners to learn their perceptions regarding professional identity and regulation. This paper describes and analyzes the Authority's findings from a policy perspective, suggesting that the professional identity of a health care practitioner is influenced mostly by factors that are local — such as the rapport a practitioner has with a patient, education, mentors, uniforms and external perceptions. These non-regulatory factors take precedence over regulation's influence on the development and maintenance of professional identity. Regulation does appear to have an effect on professional identity when there is a crisis or unusual circumstance (for example removing a professional from practice), but on a daily basis its effects are small, especially compared to other factors.

scholarly journals Understanding why patients request euthanasia when it is illegal: a qualitative study in palliative care units on the personal and practical impact of euthanasia requests

2022 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 263235242110669
Author(s):  
Danièle Leboul ◽  
Anne Bousquet ◽  
Aline Chassagne ◽  
Florence Mathieu-Nicot ◽  
Ashley Ridley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Palliative Care Setting ◽  
Palliative Care Units ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Impact

Context: Some patients in palliative care units request euthanasia regardless of legislation. Although studies have explored the reasons for these requests, little is known about the subjective, relational, and contextual repercussions for the patient. Objectives: The aim of this study is to understand the purpose of euthanasia requests from the patient’s viewpoint and their personal and practical impact. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with patients requesting euthanasia, their family members, and health care providers in 11 French palliative care units. A thematic analysis of the data was performed. Results: In total, 18 patients were interviewed within 48 h of the request being made; 1 week later, 9 patients were interviewed again. Five main themes emerged: assuming the possibility of transgressing the forbidden, a call for unbearable suffering to be recognized, encouragement to change clinical practice, reclaiming a sense of freedom over medical constraints, and imagining a desirable future for oneself. Conclusions: A request for euthanasia appears to be a willful means to remove oneself from the impasse of an existence paralyzed by suffering. It creates a space for discussion, which promotes negotiation with patients on care practices and therapeutics, and strengthens patients’ sense of autonomy. Investigating the relationship between the evolution of euthanasia requests within the palliative care setting could be beneficial. It is important to encourage health care professionals to adopt a readiness to listen by interacting with patients in a way that is not momentarily action-oriented but rather focused on proactive discussion.

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