J Gerontol Nurs
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Multicenter Study
Family satisfaction with care of a dying loved one in nursing homes: what makes the difference?
As part of a larger study examining end-of-life care in nursing homes, qualitative focus groups were conducted with bereaved family members to explicate those factors contributing to satisfaction and dissatisfaction with end-of-life care in the nursing home setting. Content analysis of focus group data revealed two overarching themes that influenced family members' satisfaction with care. ⋯ Family members dissatisfied with their relative's end-of-life care expressed feelings of guilt, anger, and frustration, both while the resident was alive and in the bereavement period. The findings of this study have implications for clinicians committed to delivering quality end-of-life care to residents and their families and provides the basis for educational interventions and quality care improvement initiatives in the long-term care setting.
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Multicenter Study
Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment form: honoring end-of-life directives for nursing home residents.
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form provides choices about end-of-life care and gives these choices the power of physician orders. The POLST form assures end-of-life choices can be implemented in all settings, from the home through the health-care continuum. ⋯ An informed consent process was evidenced in 16 of 21 cases, and the POLST form was congruent with residents' existing advance directives for health care. The findings support the continued use, development, and evaluation of this promising tool for improving end-of-life care.