Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2022
Identifying, exploring and integrating the spiritual dimension in proactive care planning: A mixed methods evaluation of a communication training intervention for multidisciplinary palliative care teams.
Patients receiving palliative care value attention given to their spiritual needs. However, these needs often remain unexplored as healthcare professionals lack the skills to identify and explore them and to integrate this information into care plans. ⋯ Our training intervention resulted in increased palliative care professionals' competence in identifying and exploring patients' spiritual issues, and their integration in multidimensional proactive palliative care plans. The intervention directly addresses patients' spiritual concerns and adds value to their palliative care plans.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2022
"Never waste a good crisis": A qualitative study of the impact of COVID-19 on palliative care in seven hospitals using the Dynamic Sustainability Framework.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid adaptations among palliative care services, but it is unclear how these adaptations vary in relation to their unique organizational contexts. ⋯ The fit between palliative care programs and practice setting was critical to program resiliency during the early stages of the pandemic. Reconceptualizing the Dynamic Sustainability Framework to reflect a bidirectional relationship between ecological system, practice setting, and intervention levels might better guide implementers and researchers in understanding how ecological/macro changes can influence interventions on the ground.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2022
"It was terrible, I didn't sleep for two years": A mixed methods exploration of sleep and its effects among family caregivers of in-home hospice patients at end-of-life.
Due to overnight caregiving demands; exacerbation of high rates of anxiety, depression, and distress; and inadequate support, millions of family caregivers of patients receiving in-home hospice are at risk of poor sleep and negative health effects. ⋯ End-of-life family caregivers experience disrupted sleep with negative effects and inadequate support. Clinicians must assess sleep, offer sleep interventions, and provide more supports to hospice family caregivers.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2022
A think-aloud study of the feasibility of patients with end-stage organ failure completing the ICECAP-SCM.
The ICECAP-Supportive Care Measure (SCM) is a self-complete measure developed to inform economic decision making at the end-of-life. Previous research has demonstrated its feasibility in hospice and nursing home settings. This is the first study of its use with patients on the organ failure trajectory. ⋯ It is feasible to use the ICECAP-SCM with patients with end-stage organ failure receiving care in hospital settings. This study provides evidence for researchers and policy makers involved in measuring end-of-life care globally. The ICECAP-SCM can be recommended for research with patients in end-stage organ failure to appropriately capture the broader benefits of end-of-life care.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2022
Strategies for recruiting the dependent children of patients with a life-limiting illness as research participants.
The voices of children and adolescents have historically been substituted by the perspective of adults. There is growing recognition that children (<18 years old) are able to participate in research and appreciate the opportunity to participate in studies. ⋯ Simple strategies can be used to overcome barriers to recruitment, providing opportunities for children to be research participants and for their unique perspectives to be heard in palliative care research.