Facilitating family needs and support at the end of life in hospital: A descriptive study.
Palliat Med
; 36(3): 549-554, 2022 03.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34965777
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Caring for family members of dying patients is a vital component of end-of-life care, yet family members' needs at the end of life may be unmet.AIM:
To explore hospital clinician assessment and facilitation of family needs and practices to support families at the end of life.DESIGN:
Descriptive study utilising a retrospective medical record audit. SETTING AND SAMPLE Undertaken in a large public hospital, the sample included 200 deceased patients from four specialities; general medicine (n = 50), intensive care (n = 50), inpatient palliative care (n = 50) and aged rehabilitation (n = 50). Data were analysed according to age; under 65-years and 65-years or over.RESULTS:
Deceased patients' mean age was 75-years, 60% were Christian and Next-of-Kin were documented in 96% of cases. 79% spoke English, yet interpreters were used in only 6% of cases. Formal family meetings were held in 64% of cases. An assessment of family needs was undertaken in 52% of cases, and more likely for those under 65-years (p = 0.027). Cultural/religious practices were supported/facilitated in only 6% of all cases. Specialist palliative care involvement was more likely for those aged 65-years or over (p = 0.040) and social work involvement more likely for those under 65-years (p = 0.002). Pastoral care and bereavement support was low across the whole sample.CONCLUSIONS:
Prioritising family needs should be core to end-of-life care. Anticipation of death should trigger routine referral to support personnel/services to ensure practice is guided by family needs. More research is needed to evaluate how family needs assessment can inform end-of-life care, supported by policy.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Terminal Care
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Palliat Med
Journal subject:
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Year:
2022
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Australia