Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2023
How patients with advanced cancer conceptualize prognosis: A phenomenological qualitative inquiry.
Despite the importance of accurate prognostic understanding in patients with advanced cancer, there is little consensus around how to conceptualize and measure the multidimensional construct. Most studies focus on single aspects of prognostic understanding (e.g., curability) that clinicians have identified as important; no previous research has asked patients how they define "prognosis." ⋯ Given the range of ways patients define prognosis and assign value to prognostic information, clinicians should incorporate a thorough assessment of patient information preferences, values, and coping styles when engaging in end-of-life discussions. Trainings should emphasize the importance of nonverbal cues (i.e., affect management, body language) in prognostic disclosure.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2023
Health professionals' experiences of rapport during telehealth encounters in community palliative care: An interpretive description study.
Despite the reported importance of rapport, there are knowledge gaps in the ways rapport is developed and experienced by health professionals during telehealth calls in palliative care. ⋯ Based on health professionals experiences of rapport it was determined that rapport is vitally important in telehealth calls, as it is in-person interactions. Rapport is a soft skill that can potentially be learned, practiced and mastery developed, although rapport in each interaction is not guaranteed. Patient and family experiences of rapport in the palliative telehealth area warrants further research and there is some urgency for health professional training in telehealth interpersonal skills.