Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2022
Using advance and emergency care plans during transfer decisions: A grounded theory interview study with care home staff.
Advance care planning has been identified as one of few modifiable factors that could reduce hospital transfers from care homes. Several types of documents may be used by patients and clinicians to record these plans. However, little is known about how plans are perceived and used by care home staff at the time of deterioration. ⋯ Written plans provide reassurance for care home staff, reducing concerns about personal and professional risk. However, care home staff have limited discretion to interpret plans and transfers may occur if plans are not specific enough for care home staff to use confidently.
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2022
Palliative care physicians' motivations for models of practicing in the community: A qualitative descriptive study.
Internationally, both primary care providers and palliative care specialists are required to address palliative care needs of our communities. Clarity on the roles of primary and specialist-level palliative care providers is needed in order to improve access to care. This study examines how community-based palliative care physicians apply their roles as palliative care specialists, what motivates them, and the impact that has on how they practice. ⋯ The physician's personal or internal motivators were drivers in their practice style of takeover versus consultative palliative care models. Awareness of these motivations can aid our understanding of current models of care and help inform strategies to enhance consultative palliative care models.
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Palliative medicine · Jan 2022
'There's this big fear around palliative care because it's connected to death and dying': A qualitative exploration of the perspectives of undergraduate students on the role of the speech and language therapist in palliative care.
Speech and language therapy in palliative care is a developing discipline of clinical practice. Research literature has highlighted that undergraduate palliative care education in speech and language therapy is inconsistent and inadequate. However, limited research has been carried out to date in relation to student speech and language therapists and palliative care. ⋯ A greater emphasis on palliative care is needed in undergraduate speech and language therapy education to ensure confidence and competency development. An exploration of student speech and language therapists' experiences in a specialist palliative care unit would be advantageous to determine the appropriateness of this setting for clinical placements.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2021
The impact of digital health interventions on the psychological outcomes of patients and families receiving paediatric palliative care: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.
Digital health interventions are becoming increasingly important and may be particularly relevant for paediatric palliative care. In line with the aims of palliative care, digital health interventions should aim to maintain, if not improve, psychological wellbeing. However, the extent to which the psychological outcomes of digital health interventions are assessed is currently unknown. ⋯ Despite the design and development of digital health interventions that span the technological landscape, little research has assessed their psychosocial impact in the paediatric palliative care community. Whilst the evidence base around the role of these interventions continues to grow, their impact on children and their families must not be overlooked.