A Study of Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers’ Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide

Claxton‐Oldfield, Stephen; Miller, Kathryn

doi:10.1177/1049909114523826

Cited by 8 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Conversations and requests for assistance in death are commonly experienced by healthcare providers, including nurses, and are well documented across a diverse range of clinical settings [ 17 , 22 , 35 ]. For example, approximately 1 in 5 hospice volunteers reported that a patient had initiated discussions about assisted death [ 14 ], while studies of nurses demonstrate the frequent and often morally challenging interactions that exist with patients requesting assistance to end their life [ 26 ]. When reflecting upon the evolving separation that occurs upon a request for MAiD within non-providing hospice contexts, some participants perceived this as a failure or rejection of hospice care provision due to their inability to fully support the patients’ needs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hospice care providers experiences of grappling with medical assistance in dying in a hospice setting: a qualitative descriptive study

2021

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Background Rapid implementation of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) across care settings has challenged providers and organizations, including hospices, to develop and implement new modes of practice. The aim of this study was to examine the effects that legalization of MAiD has had on hospice care provider roles within the non-provider context. Methods Eight in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and a qualitative descriptive approach used to examine hospice care providers experiences in a small western Canadian city. In the study context, patients who choose MAiD are cared for until immediately prior to the procedure when they are transferred off-site to undergo MAiD. Inductive and thematic analyses were undertaken. Results Participants experienced practical, philosophical, and professional challenges. Despite the overwhelming desire to support patient autonomy and decision-making, some interpreted patient choice for MAiD as rejection of the natural death experience at the hospice. Patient choice for MAiD initiated a new and different pathway of end-of-life care. While participants felt uncertain how best to support patients undergoing MAiD, they shared mixed optimism on how their care provider roles were evolving as their level of experience broadened. While implementation of MAiD was rapid, the introduction of practical and professional supports has remained slow to materialize, leaving many providers to navigate their own personal and professional positions and practices. Conclusion Care providers require a multi-faceted range of clinical, legal, and logistical supports at the practice, organizational, and health system levels, to facilitate care delivery to those requesting and undergoing MAiD and to promote coordinated and holistic patient-centered care. The different pathway for those who chose MAiD may lead care providers to struggle with relational challenges and interpersonal unease. Further research may address how to support those undergoing MAiD within the hospice context.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hospice care providers experiences of grappling with medical assistance in dying in a hospice setting: a qualitative descriptive study

2021

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“…Palliative care volunteers in home care, community and stand-alone hospice settings have been the focus of some research interest over the years, focusing on the nature of the volunteer role, 15 the experiences and motivations of volunteers, 16 the impact of volunteering on the volunteer, 17 ethical challenges associated with volunteering 18,19 and volunteers' interactions/relationships with professional staff. 20 A recent systematic review confirmed that the volunteer role was distinctly different from that of paid staff, such as health professionals, characterised by the social nature of the role and volunteer-patient relationships, across home care, hospice and palliative care unit settings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘It’s not what they were expecting’: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the role and experience of the hospital palliative care volunteer

Bloomer

Walshe

2020

Palliat Med

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Background: Volunteers make a major contribution to palliative care but little is known specifically about hospital palliative care volunteers. Aim: The aim of this study was to understand the role and experience of hospital palliative care volunteers. Design: Systematic review and narrative synthesis. Data sources: CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed and three dissertation databases were searched from inception to June 2019. A forward and backward search of included papers in key journals was also undertaken. Records were independently assessed against inclusion criteria by authors. Included papers were assessed for quality, but none were excluded. Results: In total, 14 papers were included. Hospital palliative care volunteers were mostly female, aged above 40 years, and training varied considerably. Volunteers faced unique challenges in supporting dying patients due to the nature of hospital care, rapid patient turnover and the once-off nature of support. Volunteer roles were diverse, with some providing hands-on care, but most focused on 'being with' the dying patient. Volunteers were appreciated for providing psychosocial support, seen as complementary to, rather than replacing the work of health professionals. Given volunteers were often required to work across multiple wards, establishing positive work relationships with health professionals was challenging. Divergent views about whether the volunteer was part of or external to the team impacted volunteers' experience and perceptions of the value of their contribution. Conclusion: Hospital palliative care volunteers face unique challenges in supporting terminally ill patients. Volunteer support in hospital settings is possible and appropriate, if sufficient support is available to mitigate the challenges associated with complex, high-acuity care. What is already known about the topic?• • The demand for palliative care and hospice services worldwide is increasing, as a result of an ageing population and rising rates of chronic illness. • • Volunteers are known for their positive contribution to hospice and palliative care services worldwide.• • Volunteers have traditionally provided support in administrative and patient-related roles across a variety of settings, including at home, in stand-alone hospices and specialist palliative care units, and through palliative care services and organisations.Palliative Medicine 34 (5)

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“…Although many hospice palliative care volunteers also volunteer for other organizations, 28 they appear to be less prone to burnout compared to paid hospice palliative care staff members. 29 For the most part, volunteers do not generally perceive their hospice palliative care work as stressful and any stressors/ challenges they do encounter tend to be temporary or not long lasting 1,2 and are more likely to affect new or inexperienced volunteers who are still ''learning the ropes.''…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers

Claxton‐Oldfield

2015

Am J Hosp Palliat Care

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Hospice palliative care volunteer work--being with dying persons and their often distraught family members--has the potential to take an emotional toll on volunteers. The aim of this review article is to examine the types of stressors hospice palliative care volunteers typically experience in their work and how they cope with them. The results of this literature review suggest that hospice palliative care volunteers do not generally perceive their volunteer work as highly stressful. Nonetheless, a number of potential stressors and challenges were identified in the literature, along with some strategies that volunteers commonly employ to cope with them. The implications for volunteers and volunteer training/management are discussed.

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A Study of Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers’ Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide

Cited by 8 publications

References 11 publications

Hospice care providers experiences of grappling with medical assistance in dying in a hospice setting: a qualitative descriptive study

Hospice care providers experiences of grappling with medical assistance in dying in a hospice setting: a qualitative descriptive study

‘It’s not what they were expecting’: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the role and experience of the hospital palliative care volunteer

Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers

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