Palliative medicine
-
Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
ReviewILIVE Project Volunteer study. Developing international consensus for a European Core Curriculum for hospital end-of-life-care volunteer services, to train volunteers to support patients in the last weeks of life: A Delphi study.
Volunteers make a huge contribution to the health and wellbeing of the population and can improve satisfaction with care especially in the hospice setting. However, palliative and end-of-life-care volunteer services in the hospital setting are relatively uncommon. The iLIVE Volunteer Study, one of eight work-packages within the iLIVE Project, was tasked with developing a European Core Curriculum for End-of-Life-Care Volunteers in hospital. ⋯ Key items for volunteer training were agreed alongside items for implementation to embed the end-of-life-care volunteer service within the hospital. Recommendations for further research included in-depth assessment of the implementation and experiences of end-of-life-care volunteer services. The developed European Core Curriculum can be adapted to fit local cultural and organisational contexts.
-
Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
Revised recommendations on standards and norms for palliative care in Europe from the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC): A Delphi study.
In 2009, the EAPC published recommendations on standards and norms for palliative care in Europe, and a decade later, wished to update them to reflect contemporary practice. ⋯ Most recommendations on standards and norms for palliative care in Europe remain unchanged since 2009. Evolving concepts in palliative care can be used to support advocacy.
-
Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
ReviewA rapid review of end-of-life needs in the LGBTQ+ community and recommendations for clinicians.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer plus (LGBTQ+) adults face challenges accessing end-of-life care. Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ persons within the end-of-life context is crucial in addressing their needs and supporting equity at end of life. ⋯ The hybrid Meyer's Minority Stress and Bronfenbrenner Ecological model elucidated how stressors and social contexts may impact LGBTQ+ adults when accessing end-of-life care. Incorporating LGBTQ+ cultural competence training into continuing education and ensuring that LGBTQ+ individuals participate in the development of end-of-life care programming may better attend to the needs of this population.
-
Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
Multicenter Study Observational StudySexual health and closeness in couples coping with advanced cancer: Results of a multicenter observational study (eQuiPe).
Cancer and its treatment can severely affect sexual health. It is unknown how this may relate to the feelings of closeness between patients and their partners. ⋯ Couples coping with advanced cancer clearly face challenges regarding sexual health but are not likely to seek specialized support. When discussing sexual health, it is crucial that health care professionals pay attention to the aspects of sexual health that may contribute to feeling close to each other and suggest specialized care if necessary.
-
Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
ReviewExistential suffering in the day to day lives of those living with palliative care needs arising from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A systematic integrative literature review.
The impact of living with palliative care needs arising from COPD disrupts an individual's existential situation. However, no comprehensive synthesis of existing research has been published to determine the presentation and impact of existential suffering. ⋯ This review suggests existential suffering is present and of significant impact within the daily lives of those living with palliative care needs arising from COPD. The absence of life meaning has the most significant impact. Further research is required to understand the essential components of an intervention to address existential suffering for this patient group, to ensure holistic palliative care delivery.