Premium
Non‐medical palliative care and education to improve end‐of‐life care at geriatric health services facilities: A nationwide questionnaire survey of chief nurses
Author(s) -
Hirakawa Yoshihisa,
Masuda Yuichiro,
Kuzuya Masafumi,
Iguchi Akihisa,
Uemura Kazumasa
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0594.2007.00414.x
Subject(s) - end of life care , palliative care , medicine , nursing , health care , perception , family medicine , psychology , economics , economic growth , neuroscience
Background: Geriatric health services facilities (GHSF) are expected to assume a growing role in caring for the dying elderly. However, research in this area has so far been scant. The purpose of the present study is to reveal the status of non‐medical palliative care and staff education aiming at improving and enhancing end‐of‐life care at GHSF. Methods: The subjects were 2876 chief nurses of GHSF. Data was collected through a mailed questionnaire in 2003. The questionnaire covered the following: (i) staff perception of end‐of‐life care policies; (ii) staff education; and (iii) available non‐medical care. To evaluate the factors correlated with end‐of‐life care policies at GHSF, we divided the facilities into two groups. Results: We analyzed the answers collected from 313 facilities with a progressive policy toward end‐of‐life care (PP group) and 818 with a regressive policy toward it (RP group). It was found that staff training was conducted more frequently among PP facilities. Generally, nurses in the PP facilities were more confident that they could provide comprehensive on‐site end‐of‐life care and grieving support, but did not feel so sure about their ability to provide better end‐of‐life environments for dying residents and family by organizing outside support from voluntary and/or governmental organizations and religious organization for healing and to pursue appropriately a written follow‐up communication with the bereaved family. Conclusions: Our results suggest that providing GHSF staff with education about end‐of‐life issues or setting up collaboration with the outside is an important factor to enhance overall end‐of‐life care at these facilities.