J Palliat Care
-
The deaf community is a distinct cultural and linguistic community (the uppercase D is a cultural identification). Compared to the general population, the deaf community, as a social group, experiences poorer health status. Deaf people seek care less frequently than the general population and have fewer interactions with the health system. ⋯ Key findings indicate that the deaf community has limited understanding of their options for palliative and end-of-life care. Communication and health literacy are key barriers to accessing appropriate end-of-life care. Pain and symptom management, consideration of physical environments, and limited access to bereavement care are common issues faced by deaf people when caring for loved ones at the end of life.
-
This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of palliative care staff and thus enable them to better detect and manage depression among palliative care patients and their families. Participants were 90 professional carers who completed a four-session training program. Knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and barriers to working with depressed patients were assessed preintervention, post-intervention, and at a three-month follow-up. ⋯ Improvements were maintained at the three-month follow-up in all areas except attitudes. The results of this study indicate the importance of training in managing depression among palliative care staff. Booster sessions will likely be needed to ensure that training program gains are maintained.
-
In Poland, medical curricula cover palliative care for adults, not for children. This paper evaluates feedback of students who participated in a pilot pediatric palliative care education program. ⋯ The pediatric palliative care education program was feasible, and it was well received by the students who undertook it.
-
Paramedics play an important role in out-of-hospital health care. They provide unscheduled care, assisting both patients with minor injuries and those experiencing life-threatening emergencies. ⋯ However, paramedics may not be well prepared to offer palliative care, as practice guidelines and education tend to focus on the management of acute medical emergencies and major trauma. Emergency medical services that employ paramedics rarely have practice guidelines or protocols that deal specifically with palliative care.
-
To analyze, from the parents' point of view, the effects of respite services offered at a children's hospice, the Maison André-Gratton. ⋯ Two characteristics of the respite program contribute to the positive effects of respite on families--the high quality of the care offered by a qualified staff, and the adequate length of respite stays.