Palliative & supportive care
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Palliat Support Care · Jun 2009
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyEffect of music therapy on oncologic staff bystanders: a substantive grounded theory.
Oncologic work can be satisfying but also stressful, as staff support patients and families through harsh treatment effects, uncertain illness trajectories, and occasional death. Although formal support programs are available, no research on the effects of staff witnessing patients' supportive therapies exists. This research examines staff responses to witnessing patient-focused music therapy (MT) programs in two comprehensive cancer centers. ⋯ Patient-centered oncologic music therapy in two cancer centers is an incidental supportive care modality for staff, which can reduce their stress and improve work environments and perceived patient care. Further investigation of the incidental benefits for oncologic staff witnessing patient-centered MT, through interpretive and positivist measures, is warranted.
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Palliat Support Care · Jun 2009
Cancer patients' reluctance to discuss psychological distress with their physicians was not associated with underrecognition of depression by physicians: a preliminary study.
To investigate the association between cancer patients' reluctance for emotional disclosure to their physician and underrecognition of depression by physicians. ⋯ The results did not support the assumption that patients' reluctance for emotional disclosure is associated with the underrecognition of depression by physicians.
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Palliat Support Care · Jun 2009
Conducting family meetings in palliative care: themes, techniques, and preliminary evaluation of a communication skills module.
To develop a communication skills training module for health care professionals about how to conduct a family meeting in palliative care and to evaluate the module in terms of participant self-efficacy and satisfaction. ⋯ Family meetings play a significant role in the palliative care setting, where family support for planning and continuing care is vital to optimize patient care. Although these meetings can be challenging, this communication skills module is effective in increasing the confidence of participants in conducting a family meeting.
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To explore patients' understanding of decision making in the treatment of advanced cancer and to determine the factors they believe important to these processes in their care. ⋯ Overall, patients were satisfied with the decision-making processes and they understood and highly regarded the incorporation of factors, other than their medical condition, in their care.
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Palliat Support Care · Jun 2009
Caring for a person in advanced illness and suffering from breathlessness at home: threats and resources.
Little is known about the factors that mediate the caregiving experience of informal carers at home, which could inform about ways of supporting them in their caregiving role. Our objective was to investigate the caring experience of carers for patients with an advanced progressive illness (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], heart failure, cancer, or motor neuron diseases [MND]), who suffer from breathlessness. ⋯ Carers need to be included in opportunities for support provision in advanced illness. Negotiated involvement of a health professional could buffer the heavy responsibilities related to home care. They could provide problem-solving skills and build on the resources that carers draw on in response to what they experience as most threatening to their caring role.