• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2016

Purpose: This study reviewed what the location of death (LOD) means as an outcome and how to use LOD to assess end-of-life (EOL) care. This study also examined the reason why LOD is significant for the quality of EOL care. Methods: A literature review was performed, using LODs and home deaths as outcomes in the field of EOL care, and analyzed the findings associated with key fields in regards to LOD. Results: Palliative care research used LOD, in particular, hospital death (versus home death) as a significant outcome when examining cost savings, quality of life care, and patient and family preferences. Based on substantial evidence from previous research, home hospice or continuous palliative care in non-hospital settings (i.e. homes, nursing homes) have been designed and available for dying patients in developed countries. Conclusion: The LOD delivers practical significance as an outcome for diverse reasons. In-depth examination on LOD in South Korea is needed despite limitations to interpretation of its meaning in the country.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-73
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• 2021

Dealing with existential concerns experienced by patients is an important part of palliative care. Interventions that use the life review method to encourage patients to reminisce about their lives can help them find new positive meanings, promote ego integrity, and reduce emotional suffering. Not everyone has positive memories when they look back on the past, however. This poses a limit on the effectiveness of the life review method for healthcare providers working in palliative care contexts. In this study, we discuss the limits of life review and suggest imagery rescripting as a new modality constituting a psychotherapeutic approach to deal with negative memories safely and effectively.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.252-255
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• 2020

This article aims to discuss the barriers hindering cancer patients from receiving early palliative care, which has been demonstrated to be more effective in improving quality of life and controlling symptoms. Specifically, there are barriers in four aspects of delivering early palliative care. First, the difficulty of starting discussions about early palliative care and the lack of adequate appointment time can impede communication between oncologists and patients and their family members. Second, determining the timing of referral and deciding upon and applying a standard for referral can be barriers in the process of referral from oncology to palliative care. Third, palliative care patients and their family members can face difficulties regarding in what format and by whom the services will be delivered. Fourth, biases, misinformation, and inaccurate beliefs can be barriers in the process of patients and their family members accepting care. In order to facilitate early palliative care, research and policy regarding these barriers are necessary, along with efforts made by medical staff.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop an educational program reflecting the educational needs of Hospice Smart Patient service providers. Method: The description, goal, curriculum, method, and process evaluation of the educational program were constructed based on Modified Tyler-type Ends-Means Model followed by the analysis of current curriculum and needs of service providers. Results: The curriculum was constructed based on hospice volunteer program currently offered in Korea and the recommendations of hospice service volunteers and experts. A total of 90 hr was required to complete the curriculum that was composed of 'Introduction to cancer', 'Treatment and treatment complications of cancer', 'Post-treatment nutritional care', 'Helpful information', 'Introduction to hospice and palliative care', 'Comprehension of life and death', 'Holistic hospice and palliative care', 'How to communicate as a smart patient', 'Hospice and ethics', 'Pediatric hospice', 'Bereavement management', and 'Clinical practicum'. Conclusion: It is necessary to implement the developed educational program and evaluate its effectiveness, as well as making the service available to a greater number of cancer patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2023

Purpose: We evaluated the status of patients enrolled in South Korea's pediatric palliative care pilot project based on the experience of a single center. This study examined factors related to end-of-life services and differences in medical costs. Methods: The medical records of 120 patients referred by a pediatric palliative care team were analyzed retrospectively. Data from July 1 to February 28, 2022 were collected and analyzed using the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Volunteer programs and psychological support (100%), family support and education (99.2%), and financial support through institutional linkage (62.5%) were provided to the participants. In the deceased group, there were no significant differences in general characteristics, which included age, gender, primary disease, religion, duration of hospitalization in an intensive care unit (ICU) and non-intensive care unit (non-ICU). However, the ICU group had fewer opportunities to access individual pain and physical symptom management than the non-ICU group and there were limitations in linking with external resources. Medical expenses were significantly different for the ICU group, with a 3-times higher average cost than the non-ICU group. Conclusion: Although an individualized approach is needed for each patient in pediatric palliative care, psychosocial care is essential. In addition, if early intervention for end-of-life pediatric patients is available from a palliative care team, the cost burden of medical care for patients and their families should be minimal.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.240-248
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• 2016

Purpose: Patients and their caretakers need to understand various problems and requirements in the dying process so that they may prepare for death for the rest of their remaining life. Accordingly, a systematic audio-visual resource was developed to educate hospice patients and their families at the palliative care ward about the process of dying. Methods: For the development of an audio-visual resource, a initial education material was produced in the form of simple and accessible Power Point handouts based on literature study. Then, the program was completed through five rounds of a process, including expert advice, revision, update and evaluation. Results: The final version of the program was filmed with cooperation of the medical literature information division. Using the program, patients and families were educated through five phases over three sessions for a total 26 minutes and 34 seconds. Conclusion: The significance of this study lies in the fact that it was conducted after the establishment of the palliative care ward, which made it easier for nurses provide the education. It is expected that the program may be used by hospice specialists as well as nurses as an education resource for hospice patients and their families.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2000

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.92-103
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• 2018

Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to examine factors that affect hospital workers in their decision to withdraw from life-sustaining treatment, such as knowledge, attitude, and perception of organ donation, transplantation, death and hospice palliative care. Methods: A questionnaire was completed by 228 workers of a tertiary general hospital, and data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation by using SPSS 21.0. Results: The subjects' knowledge of biomedical ethics awareness differed by age, education level, occupation, affiliated department, and biomedical ethics education. Their knowledge of brain death, organ donation and transplantation was positively correlated with attitudes toward tissue donation and transplantation, knowledge of hospice palliative care, and perception of hospice palliative care. Their attitudes toward tissue donation and transplantation were significantly correlated with knowledge of hospice palliative care, perception of hospice palliative care, and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. Their awareness of death was significantly correlated with knowledge of hospice palliative care, perception of hospice palliative care and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. The perception of hospice palliative care was significantly correlated with withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. Factors associated with their withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment were work at the hospice ward (32.5%), attitudes toward tissue donation and transplantation and perception of hospice palliative care. Conclusion: This study has shown that work at the hospice ward, attitudes toward tissue donation and transplantation and perception of hospice palliative care were related to attitudes toward withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. More research is needed to further develop various curriculums based on biomedical methods.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.85-97
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to describe nurses' perceived needs and barriers to pediatric palliative care (PPC). Methods: Mixed methods with an embedded design were applied. An online survey was conducted for nurses who participated in the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium- Pediatric Palliative Care (ELNEC-PPC) train-the-trainer program, of whom 63 responded. Quantitative data were collected with a survey questionnaire developed through the Delphi method. The 47 items for needs and 15 items for barriers to PPC were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were collected through open-ended questions and analyzed with topic modeling techniques. Results: The mean scores of most subdomains of the PPC needs were 3.5 or higher out of 4, and those of PPC barriers ranged from 3.22 to 3.56, indicating the items in the questionnaire developed in this study properly reflect each factor. The needs for PPC were divided into 4 categories: "children and adolescents," "families," "PPC management system," and "community-based PPC." Meanwhile, PPC barriers were divided into 3 categories: "healthcare delivery system," "healthcare provider," and "client." The keywords derived from the topic modeling were perception, palliative, children, and education for necessities and lack, perception, medical care, professional care providers, service, and system for barriers to PPC. Conclusion: In this study, by using mixed-methods, items of nurses' perceived needs and barriers to PPC were identified, categorized, and weighted, and their meanings were explored. For the stable establishment of PPC, the priority should be given to improving perceptions of PPC, establishing an appropriate system, and training professional care providers.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.139-146
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a "Palliative Care Professional" education program and evaluate its effects on the recognition of good death, palliative care, and the meaning of life for nurses. Methods: It was developed based on the hospice care program for volunteers being used in the Hospice Palliative Care Research Center of S University in Seoul. It was also based on the studies which investigated the educational needs of nurses in palliative care. This program consisted of 5 sessions and 16 content items for 2 weeks. A non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design was utilized and participants were assigned to the experimental group (n=42) or the control group (n=44). Results: The recognition of a good death (F=11.44, p=.001), palliative care (F=4.15, p=.045), and the meaning of life (F=5.12, p=.026) increased more significantly for participants in the experimental group than in the control group. Participants felt that they gained further knowledge in palliative patient management and refined their clinical practice. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that this program could serve as a practical program for palliative care nursing in the nursing field and suggests that more attention should be directed to the diverse educational needs of nurses.