End-of-life care needs in cancer patients: a qualitative study of patient and family experiences
End-of-life care needs in cancer patients: a qualitative study of patient and family experiences
[Spain] BMC Palliative Care; by Four major themes emerged from the interviews that explored the needs and concerns of patients with cancer at the end of life: (1) physical well-being (2) emotional well-being (3) social well-being and (4) needs relating to information and autonomous decision-making. The interviews also shed light on the specific needs of family members during this period, namely the difficulties of managing increased caregiver burden and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. ... A lack of support, information and transparency during a period of immense vulnerability makes the end-of-life experience even more difficult for patients with cancer. Our findings highlight the importance of developing a more in-depth understanding of the needs of this population, so that informed efforts can be made to improve palliative healthcare and implement more comprehensive care and support at the end of life.
Editor's Note: Often, we examine our services from our perspectives of what we provide. Use this article's results #1-4 to examine your services from the perspective of the patient and family, paired with your organization's feedback, Incident Reports, in-the-field team members, and bereavement counselors. Why bereavement counselors? They often hear stories of both positive and negative care which stay with the family member long after the person has died. The CAHPS Survey is sent and filled out during those first moments when memories of healthcare experiences and emotions can be especially significant.