Comfort care packs: a little bit of hospice in hospital?

The Comfort Care Pack initiative is an innovation designed to enhance the inpatient experience of end-of-life patients and their carers. The carer is given a pleasantly decorated box containing a variety of items for use by the patient or the carer themselves: snacks, toiletries and items to promote comfort. This project set out to evaluate the impact of these packs by reviewing the returns of the feedback questionnaires included with the packs. From the first 220 packs, 58 questionnaires were returned, giving quantitative and qualitative data. The response to the packs was overwhelmingly positive and they were much valued by the carers. This was the case despite the fact that relatively few of the items were actually used by the recipients. It is suggested that the value of the packs to recipients lies in the gesture of being thought about during what is a difficult time for them. The implications of this are discussed.

Meeting the challenges: delivering interactive stoma care education.

This article illustrates how the authors used the following frameworks: audit cycle, clinical governance, essence of care and evaluations to create a fun, interactive and transferable method of delivering an education programme in the workplace environment. The article demonstrates the benefits of using action planning, benchmarking and overcoming difficulties in delivering education across two organizational boundaries (primary and secondary care). 'Today's 6 x 30 minute Stoma Challenges are...' a full and fun afternoon of interactive stoma education for primary and secondary care staff delivered in an innovative and creative way. The main objective is to enhance qualified and unqualified nurses existing knowledge and skills in relation to stoma care. Also encouraging staff development therefore enhancing the patients' experiences regardless of whether they are in a primary or secondary care setting.

How do women with secondary breast cancer experience telling their adolescent children about their diagnosis?

This study investigated how women with secondary breast cancer experience telling their adolescent children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who had been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer at least 1 year prior to the interview. Seven women, who had at least one child between 12 and 19 years old living at home at the time of diagnosis, were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis for an in-depth understanding of women's experiences. Women found that it was easier to tell their children of their secondary breast cancer diagnosis compared to their primary cancer. However, they talked about the impact the diagnosis had on their family.

Involving women with breast cancer in the development of a patient information leaflet for anticipatory nausea and vomiting.

As chemotherapy regimens increase in toxicity and changes in service provision move towards a more ambulatory outpatient basis, patients are often coping with side effects of treatment in isolation. Despite advances in pharmacological control, for some patients nausea and vomiting can be problematic. For some this can develop into anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV), which can severely effect the patients physical and psychological well-being. It is well recognised that the giving of realistic and understandable information is paramount to empower patients in their individual coping. A plethora of literature supports the use of Patient Information Leaflets as a means to educate and empower patients within their treatment trajectory. This paper discusses the authors' experiences in developing a Patient Information Leaflet, designed to assist breast cancer patients in understanding and coping with the symptoms of ANV. The patient's needs were sought to add clarity to the development and design of the leaflet. The authors conclude that developing a Patient Information Leaflet was a major undertaking in terms of time and resources.

How do I tell the children? Women's experiences of sharing information about breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVES: When mothers are diagnosed with breast cancer, one of their main concerns has been found to be communicating with their children. Parents find breaking the news about their diagnosis to their children a difficult and stressful task. While it is a challenge, it is an important strategy in helping the children cope with the parent's illness as good communication about a cancer diagnosis is known to facilitate adjustment. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the experiences of mothers in telling their children of their diagnosis. When and how they approached the subject of cancer and its treatment was explored. Emphasis was placed on what influences their decision of what to tell their children. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who had recently had a diagnosis of breast cancer and had completed adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy at least 6 months prior to the interview. The sample included 10 women who had children (2-24) living at home at the time of diagnosis. RESULTS: A thematic analysis was conducted on the interviews in order to derive major themes within the mothers' experiences. A description of the process used by women to tell their children about their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment was then developed. CONCLUSIONS: Specific factors guide women in their use of strategies to tell their children of their breast cancer diagnosis. These results will enable health professionals to develop guidelines and expert practice to support women through advice, reassurance and opportunity for discussion.