Journal of social work in end-of-life & palliative care
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J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care · Apr 2021
The Long Shadow: Collateral Impact and Finding Resilience Amidst a Global Pandemic Pediatric Palliative Care Social Work During COVID-19.
This manuscript illuminates the nuanced ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the pediatric palliative care social work role and clinical care in caring for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families throughout the country. The authors discuss memorable moments, logistical impacts, telehealth usage, decision-making experiences, end of life care, bereavement practices, specialized interventions, and self-care. The paper concludes with lessons learned and practical recommendations for the future.
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J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care · Apr 2019
Family Caregivers' Experiences with Dying and Bereavement of Individuals with Motor Neuron Disease in India.
Motor neuron disease (MND) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Ideal management plan in MND includes palliative care initiated from the time of diagnosis. At present, most of the neurodegenerative conditions are cared for at home. ⋯ Major themes derived from the interviews were: (1) Transition from person to patient, (2) support, (3) death, and (4) impact on the caregivers. Mapping of themes identified "Support received during advanced stages" as the central theme influencing all other themes. The need for a care manager seems evident and is a role that can be effectively fulfilled by the care teams' social workers.
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J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care · Apr 2018
Filling the Void: Hospital Palliative Care and Community Hospice: A Collaborative Approach to Providing Hospital Bereavement Support.
Bereavement services are often provided as components of hospice and palliative care plans, including emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual support provided to individuals and families to assist with grief, loss, and adjustment after the death of a loved one. Patient- and family-centered care is a hallmark of palliative care. Moreover, bereavement counseling is offered as a hospice care benefit that is covered by Medicare and various private insurance plans. ⋯ The interprofessional team includes social workers, volunteers, chaplains, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians. The Bereavement Program incorporates grief support workshops, follow-up with participants, via postal mail at timed intervals, website access to grief resources, staff education, and an annual evening of remembrance program. Finally, interagency collaboration has extended the reach of bereavement services beyond UF Health into our community at large.
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J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care · Apr 2018
Navigating the Liminal Space: Trauma, Transition, and Connection in Bereaved Carers' Experiences of Specialist Palliative Care in Western Sydney.
Caregiving at the end-of-life has been associated with a range of physical, spiritual, social, and psychological outcomes, and influenced by encounters with providers of specialist palliative care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore experiences of bereaved carers of people with a life-limiting illness, in the context of care provided through a Western Sydney supportive and palliative care service. Thirteen bereaved caregivers participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. ⋯ This study is one of the first to explore caregiver experiences within a low socioeconomic population in Western Sydney and provides a nuanced understanding of factors which may shape experiences of palliative care. Findings suggest that ongoing attention to the cultivation of skilful practitioners is warranted; able to companion caregivers in a manner attuned to the potential for trauma in the context of expected death. Additionally, findings call for investment in specialist sites of care alongside greater attention to public health approaches to palliative care.
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J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care · Jan 2018
Clinical TrialReflective Debriefing: A Social Work Intervention Addressing Moral Distress among ICU Nurses.
Health-care workers may experience moral distress when they are unable to act as they believe is ethically appropriate in their clinical work. A social worker-facilitated protocol called Reflective Debriefing was developed and tested for alleviating moral distress through regular debriefings with nursing staff on an intensive care unit (ICU). Forty-two ICU nurses completed a Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R) at the beginning and end of a 6-month period, during which time regular debriefings were offered. ⋯ Participants reported gaining the most benefit from feeling empowered to constructively confront other staff members about truth-telling in giving a prognosis. Nurses' overall response to the intervention was positive, with 100% of participants requesting to continue the Reflective Debriefing sessions either on a monthly or on an as-needed basis. The response to the intervention emphasized the importance of interprofessional collaboration to successfully combat moral distress among health-care workers and may protect them from burnout, detachment, and even quitting their profession.