Caring in Palliative Care

Abstract

Providing palliative care involves serious challenges for nurses, such as end-of-life decisions, contact with people's suffering and dying, and increased risk of burnout. However, studies have revealed that the burnout level of health professionals working in palliative care is lower than that of health professionals working in other settings. This study aimed to describe the lived experiences of nurses caring in a palliative care unit. A phenomenological descriptive study was undertaken. Nine nurses were recruited from a palliative care unit in Portugal. Data were collected using individual interviews and analyzed following the method of Giorgi. Five themes reflect the essence of the lived experience: (1) experience centered on the relationship with the other (ie, the patient and the family), (2) experience centered on the relationship with one's own self, (3) exhausting experience, (4) rewarding experience, and (5) the team as a pillar. These findings can be valuable for understanding the challenges and strategies experienced by nurses caring in palliative care and for designing interventions that focus on reducing the risk of burnout among nurses-not only those working in palliative care but also those working in other contexts who experience regular contact with suffering and death.

A gap between the philosophy and the practice of palliative healthcare: sociological perspectives on the practice of nurses in specialised palliative homecare

“…Studies show that nurses find that they establish a one-to-one relationship with each patient and his/her family in palliative care, where the patient's situation requires the nurse's support and involvement (Parola et al 2018;Sekse et al 2017). Nurses find that teamwork stimulates reflection and professional progress promoting both individual well-being and teambuilding (Dalgaard and Delmar 2008;Klarare et al 2013;Parola et al 2018). Furthermore, working in palliative care leads to a confrontation with nurses' own mortality (Parola et al 2018).…”

“…Nurses find that teamwork stimulates reflection and professional progress promoting both individual well-being and teambuilding (Dalgaard and Delmar 2008;Klarare et al 2013;Parola et al 2018). Furthermore, working in palliative care leads to a confrontation with nurses' own mortality (Parola et al 2018).…”

Travelbee’s Theory: Human-to-Human Relationship Model - its suitability for palliative nursing care

“…It focuses on those components of illness that are considered of concern to nursing, that is, suffering and pain (Meleis, 2012;Travelbee, 1969). Studies using Travelbee's theory explored the nature of nursing activities perceived to offer support, comfort, and ease the suffering of a terminally ill patient and of significant others of terminally ill patients (Meleis, 2012;Parola et al, 2018). Travelbee expresses the importance for nurses to recognize their concept of what is human, for their relationship with another human being will be otherwise determined by that concept (Shelton, 2016).…”

“…Travelbee's theory is important in providing a framework to describe the human encounter between nurses and patients who are suffering from life-threatening illness or a long, debilitating disease (oncological or non-oncological), which is a common reality in palliative care (PC; Meleis, 2012;Shelton, 2016;Travelbee, 1971). This theory is applicable to and has been used in the PC movement, helping end-of-life patients and their families find meaning in suffering and fostering hope, even at end-of-life (Meleis, 2012;Parola, Coelho, Sandgren, Fernandes, & Apóstolo, 2018;Shelton, 2016;Travelbee, 1971). A study about caring in PC was recently carried out using this theoretical framework (Parola et al, 2018).…”

“…This theory is applicable to and has been used in the PC movement, helping end-of-life patients and their families find meaning in suffering and fostering hope, even at end-of-life (Meleis, 2012;Parola, Coelho, Sandgren, Fernandes, & Apóstolo, 2018;Shelton, 2016;Travelbee, 1971). A study about caring in PC was recently carried out using this theoretical framework (Parola et al, 2018). Travelbee's theory has significantly influenced the hospice movement.…”