J Palliat Care
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Education appears to be a useful strategy for improving quality of care and work-related stress management. The present study assesses the educational needs of palliative care nurses working in acute care hospitals (n=88) and CLSCs (Centre Local de Services Communautaires, home-based, n=109) of the larger Quebec City area. It also describes relationships between educational needs, psychological distress, and self-efficacy. ⋯ Preferred educational formats were lectures and group discussions. Attending free training sessions during work hours was described as the best way to promote participation. Educational needs were positively related to psychological distress, and negatively related to perceived self-efficacy in providing good palliative care.
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Interprofessional education in health care in general and palliative care has been the focus of increasing attention in recent years. However, there is still controversy about its outcomes and few courses have been evaluated. The aims of this evaluation were to explore (1) the career progression of former students who attended an interprofessional MSc in palliative care; (2) the activities former students were engaged in as a result of attending the course; and (3) the experience of attending an interprofessional postgraduate course in palliative care. ⋯ Former students described a wide range of clinical, research, and service development activities they were involved in as a result of attending the course. Qualitative data highlighted the benefits of attending an interprofessional course where the following themes became evident: lateral thinking, challenging misconceptions, enhancing teamwork opportunities, and professional networks and confidence. Funding should be made available to extend interprofessional education to a wide range of professionals who care for patients with advanced disease and their families.
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Many physicians believe that patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are more likely to become addicted to pain medication than are other patient populations. This study hypothesizes that physicians' attitudes towards addiction in patients with SCD affects pain management practices. The Physician Attitudes Survey was sent to 286 physicians at seven National Institutes of Health-funded university-based comprehensive sickle cell centres. ⋯ Significant Pearson product-moment correlations were found between attitudes towards pain and beliefs regarding addiction to prescribed opioids. Physicians reported varied pain management strategies, however, many believe that attitudes toward addiction and to patients in pain crises may result in undertreatment of pain. These results indicate that physicians might benefit from additional education regarding sickle cell disease, addiction to pain medication, the pharmacology of opioids, and the assessment and treatment of pain.
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The basic tenets of palliative care are frequently subsumed under the goal of helping patients to die with dignity. Our research group has studied the issue of dignity, with dying patients serving as the primary informants. ⋯ Finally, we provide the rationale based on the Dignity Model for a psychotherapeutic intervention we have coined Dignity Therapy. This brief, individualized therapeutic approach has been informed by our dignity work, and specifically designed for application in patients nearing death.