| 1. |
- Andersson, Magdalena, et al.
(författare)
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The final period of life in elderly people in Sweden : factors associated with QOL
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 12:6, s. 286-293
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Whether elderly people in the final period of life have a high quality of life (QOL) and what factors relate QOL in this context, is not well known. The aim of this study was to examine the final period in life in elderly people (75 years or older) in need of help with instrumental activities of daily living (ADL), with the focus on quality of life, sense of coherence (SOC), health complaints and self-reported diseases. Also to investigate factors associated with QOL and factors predicting mortality. The sample consisted of 411 people, fifty of the respondents (the study group) had died within 1 year of data collection. The results showed that the study group had lower QOL than the comparison group. More admissions to hospital as well as the number of health complaints present negatively affected QOL for all respondents. Factors that predicted mortality included older age and higher number of health complaints.
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| 2. |
- Baba, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Use of a modified ESAS in cancer patients : a pilot study of patient and staff experiences
- 2007
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - : Mark Allen Group company. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 13:12, s. 610-616
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of a modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) for monitoring symptoms in oncological palliative care.Methods: A modified ESAS was delivered daily to 28 patients with advanced cancer. A questionnaire to discover staff members’ opinions on the ESAS was delivered at the end of the study. Structured interviews were used to examine patients’ opinions on the ESAS.Results: The mean total ESAS score was 28.9 on inclusion day and 25.8 on Day 3 (p=0.531). Eleven of 21 of the staff considered the ESAS to be a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ way to obtain information about patients’ symptoms. Seventeen of 24 patients who participated in the interview felt that ESAS was easy to fill in, and that there were no missing questions.Conclusion: The patients felt that the modified ESAS contained relevant symptoms, and that the questionnaires were easy to fill in. The staff considered the modified ESAS to be a useful instrument for obtaining information about patients’ symptom distress. The modified ESAS is a good instrument for use as part of the daily clinical routine, as well as for monitoring symptoms in palliative oncological care.
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| 3. |
- Beck, Ingela, 1965-, et al.
(författare)
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To find inner peace : soft massage as an established and integrated part of palliative care
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 15:11, s. 541-545
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to demonstrate how people with incurable cancer experienced soft massage in a palliative care setting in which massage was used as an established and integrated part of the nursing care. To reach a deep understanding of the experiences of receiving soft massage a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach was chosen. The study was based on interviews with eight patients in an advanced home care setting who had all received soft massage as part of their daily care. Soft massage was experienced by the informants as a way to find inner peace. During the massage the patients felt dignified, while memories from past massage sessions were about becoming free. These experiences of dignity and freedom brought hopes for the future. The conclusion is that soft massage ought to be offered in the ordinary palliative care. More research is needed to understand what is needed to integrate and establish methods such as soft massage in the palliative care.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Benzein, Eva Gunilla, et al.
(författare)
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Health-promoting conversations about hope and suffering with couples in palliative care.
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 14:9, s. 439-445
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Families living with a dying relative face existential challenges which need to be met by caregivers in a dialogue. AIM: To describe couples' experiences of participating in nurse-initiated health-promoting conversations about hope and suffering during home-based palliative care. METHOD: Data comprised semi-structured evaluative interviews with six couples. Each couple together had previously participated in three health-fostering conversations with nurses. Data were analyzed by content. RESULT: Talking with nurses about existential issues such as hope and suffering made couples feel that they were part of a trustful relationship, and that it was a healing experience. It gave them the opportunity to unburden themselves, as well as a way of learning and finding new strategies for managing daily life. CONCLUSION: Health-promoting conversations about hope and suffering should be implemented as a natural part of the caring relationship between caregivers and families in the palliative context.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Henriksson, Anette, et al.
(författare)
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A support group programme for relatives during the late palliative phase
- 2007
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - : Mark Allen Group. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 13:4, s. 175-183
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study describes an intervention where relatives were invited to take part in a support group programme during the late palliative phase of their family member. The purpose was to describe their experiences of the support group programme and the subsequent impact on their lives as relatives of a terminally ill person. Qualitative interviews were chosen as the data collection method. The analysis was inspired by the phenomenological method as described by Giorgi (1989). The relatives’ experiences were categorised into six key constituents: confirmation; insight into the gravity of the illness; sense of belonging created by similar experiences; participation in the care system; being able to rest; and strength to provide support for the patient. These six constituents resulted in a sense of safety in relation to the patient, the illness, the nursing staff and the care unit. The study’s findings show that interventions of this kind may be integral to the relatives’ ability to handle their situation when caring for a terminally ill family member.
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| 8. |
- Iranmanesh, Sedigheh, et al.
(författare)
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Student nurses' attitudes towards death and dying in south-east Iran
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - : Mark Allen Group. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 14:5, s. 214-219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, the attitudes of student nurses from Kerman and Bam in Iran towards death and caring for dying patients were compared. Two types of questionnaire were used: the DAP-R (Death Attitude Profile Revised) and FATCOD (Frommelt Attitude Towards Caring for Dying patients). The Bam student nurses, who had more experience of death due to the Bam earthquake in December 2003, were found to be less afraid of death and also less likely to give care to people at the end of life compared to their counterparts in Kerman. In both groups, those who were educated about death and dying had more positive attitudes towards caring for people who are dying than non-educated participants. The study suggests that adding palliative care education, accompanied by a reflective narrative approach, to the nursing curriculum is necessary to improve quality of care at the end of life.
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| 9. |
- Meidell, Liv, et al.
(författare)
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Acupuncture as an optional treatment for hospice patients with xerostomia : an intervention study
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Palliative Nursing. - 1357-6321 .- 2052-286X. ; 15:1, s. 12-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- More than 70% of seriously ill patients with cancer suffer from xerostomia and the associated problems of swallowing, chewing and speaking. This study aims to investigate whether treatment with acupuncture is a viable option for hospice patients with xerostomia. During a 2-year period, 117 patients were assessed for xerostomia. Eighty-two patients were found to have moderate xerostomia. Sixty-seven fulfilled the criteria for inclusion. Of these, 14 were included but only eight completed the study. Ten acupuncture treatments were given during a 5-week period. The effect of acupuncture was measured using a visual analogue scale, and by measuring the saliva production before and after the series of treatment. The results show that all the patients experienced alleviation of dryness of the mouth and the associated symptoms, and thus benefited from the acupuncture treatment. However, conducting a 5-week acupuncture intervention study is not feasible at an inpatient hospice due to the patients being too close to death.
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| 10. |
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