International journal of palliative nursing
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Over 1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda and there is a need for the provision of comprehensive palliative care. There is minimal literature with regard to the provision of palliative care in Uganda and there is no evaluation literature on the quality of palliative care education programmes. The aim of the study was to conduct an evaluation of a modular HIV/AIDS palliative care education programme undertaken in rural Uganda by the Mildmay Centre. ⋯ A perceived and reported impact was seen at the patient and community level, participant level, health facility and district levels. An increase in access to care by people living with HIV/AIDS was seen as stigma was reduced and the attitudes of health workers towards people living with HIV/AIDS improved. Strengths and weaknesses of the programme were identified along with recommendations for future programmes.
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This study aims to explore the potential for palliative care among people living with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Individual semi-structured interviews (n=13) were conducted with people who had a diagnosis of advanced COPD and were on optimal tolerated drug therapy, with their breathing volume (forced expiratory volume at less than 30%) or were on long-term oxygen therapy or non-invasion ventilation. Participants raised concerns about the uncertain trajectory of the illness and reported unmet palliative care needs with poor access to palliative care services. ⋯ There was a wide acceptance that, medically, nothing more could be done. Findings also suggest that patients had unmet palliative care needs, requiring information and support. The research suggests the need for palliative care to be extended to all (regardless of diagnosis), with packages of care developed to target specific needs.
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This article reports on a phenomenological study undertaken to explore the meaning of spiritual care as described by a group of palliative care professionals. The research process was informed by van Manen's (1990) hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Eight palliative care professionals (nurses, complementary therapists and pastoral carers) were recruited from a community palliative care agency in Melbourne, Victoria, which provided home-based palliative care. ⋯ Data were collected by in-depth conversational interviews and were analyzed thematically. Two themes emerged: 'a living nexus between spiritual care, spirituality and holism' and 'a world of relationships'. The findings of the study point to the need for healthcare professionals to incorporate spiritual care guidelines into practice in order for palliative care to be truly representative of holistic health care.
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Developing accountable and appropriate care services depends on listening to the views of service users. This nurse-led, qualitative study explored 10 palliative care patients' views of their care in hospital and at home using non-standard interviews. ⋯ These findings can inform the planning of services and are repeatable and generalizable. Implications for nursing and planning for palliative care are discussed.