• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.22-25
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• 2023

Although most patients prefer dying at home, patients whose condition rapidly becomes critical need care in the intensive care unit (ICU), and it is rare for them to die at home with their families. Therefore, interest in hospice and palliative care for patients in the ICU is increasing. Hospice and palliative care (PC) is necessary for all patients with life-threatening diseases. The following patients need palliative care in the ICU: patients with chronic critical illnesses who need tracheostomy, percutaneous gastrostomy tube, and extracorporeal life support; patients aged 80 years or older; stage 4 cancer patients; patients with specific acute diseases with a poor prognosis (e.g., anoxic brain injury and intracerebral hemorrhage requiring mechanical ventilation); and patients for whom the attending physician expects a poor prognosis. There are two PC models-a consultative model and an integrative model-in the ICU setting. Since these two models have advantages and disadvantages, it is necessary to apply the model that best fits each hospital's circumstances. Furthermore, interdisciplinary decision-making between the ICU care team and PC specialists should be strengthened to increase the provision of hospice and palliative care services for patients expected to have poor outcomes and their families.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.149-159
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• 2023

The Spiritual Care Guide in HospiceㆍPalliative Care is evidence-based and focuses on the universal and integral aspects of human spirituality-such as meaning and purpose, interconnectedness, and transcendence-which go beyond any specific religion. This guide was crafted to improve the spiritual well-being of adult patients aged 19 and older, as well as their families, who are receiving end-of-life care. The provision of spiritual care in hospice and palliative settings aims to assist patients and their families in finding life's meaning and purpose, restoring love and relationships, and helping them come to terms with death while maintaining hope. It is recommended that spiritual needs and the interventions provided are periodically reassessed and evaluated, with the findings recorded. Additionally, hospice and palliative care teams are encouraged to pursue ongoing education and training in spiritual care. Although challenges exist in universally applying this guide across all hospice and palliative care organizations in Korea-due to varying resources and the specific environments of medical institutions-it is significant that the Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care has introduced a spiritual care guide poised to enhance the spiritual well-being and quality of care for hospice and palliative care patients.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.256-265
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• 2021

Purpose: This study examined the effects of nurses' attitude toward death and their perception of hospice and palliative care on their terminal care stress in long-term care hospitals (LCHs). Methods: Participants included 127 nurses from 6 Incheon LCHs. Data were collected between July and August, 2020. Self-report questionnaires were administered to collect data on their general characteristics, terminal care stress, attitude toward death, and perception of hospice and palliative care. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple linear regression using the SPSS 23.0 statistical program. Results: Nurses' terminal care stress was affected by their attitude toward death (𝛽=.30, p<.001) and perception of hospice and palliative care (𝛽=.28, p=.002) with an explanatory power of 21.6%. Conclusion: Terminal care stress was significantly associated with their attitude toward death and perception of hospice and palliative care. Therefore, educating nurses in LCHs about death and hospice and palliative care is essential to manage their terminal care stress effectively.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2023

This paper aimed to summarize the current situation of prognostication for patients with an expected survival of weeks or months, and to clarify future research priorities. Prognostic information is essential for patients, their families, and medical professionals to make end-of-life decisions. The clinician's prediction of survival is often used, but this may be inaccurate and optimistic. Many prognostic tools, such as the Palliative Performance Scale, Palliative Prognostic Index, Palliative Prognostic Score, and Prognosis in Palliative Care Study, have been developed and validated to reduce the inaccuracy of the clinician's prediction of survival. To date, there is no consensus on the most appropriate method of comparing tools that use different formats to predict survival. Therefore, the feasibility of using prognostic scales in clinical practice and the information wanted by the end users can determine the appropriate prognostic tool to use. We propose four major themes for further prognostication research: (1) functional prognosis, (2) outcomes of prognostic communication, (3) artificial intelligence, and (4) education for clinicians.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.49-66
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• 2019

Along with the advances in medical technology and the economic development, more terminally ill patients are receiving hospice and palliative care services. Moreover, hospice and palliative care clinicians have been showing considerable interest in studies that aim to improve the quality of said care for patients and their families. Meanwhile, after the government has strengthened its policy to protect research participants, the institutional review boards (IRBs) are more closely examining various ethical issues related to patients' vulnerability when reviewing protocols for hospice and palliative care research. However, terminally ill patients should be provided with guaranteed qualities of hospice and palliative care to improve and maintain their quality of life. To that end, support should be provided for efforts to conduct ethical and safe studies with hospice and palliative care patients. Thus, this review paper proposes ethical guidelines for hospice and palliative care research. The guidelines could be appropriately used as a reference for researchers who should prepare for ethically safe and scientifically valued research protocols and the IRBs that will review the protocols.

• 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.

• 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.23 no.4
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• pp.198-211
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy related to palliative care among health care providers (doctors and nurses) in order to provide a basis to develop a training program for health care providers. Methods: A correlational and descriptive study design was used. Participants were recruited from a university-affiliated hospital located in Daejeon and an e-nurse community. After IRB approval, data were collected from July 12, 2018, to September 30, 2018. A total of 169 responses were finally analyzed using version SPSS 24. The data were analyzed in terms of descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage or mean and standard deviation, as appropriate), the t-test, analysis of variance (with the Duncan post hoc test), and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy were significantly higher in those who had received palliative care training or had been exposed to awareness-raising initiatives. There were positive relationships among knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy, with small to moderate effect sizes. Conclusion: Palliative care training for health care professionals is necessary to meet patients' needs. Such programs should take into account not only knowledge about palliative care, but also ways to improve empathy and resolve ethical dilemmas. Interprofessional training would be an excellent option to share therapeutic goals and develop communication skills among multidisciplinary team members.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.178-192
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• 2022

Purpose: This scoping review identified scientific evidence on basic human needs (BHNs) in the elderly receiving palliative care. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted using six electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Lilacs, IBECS, and Web of Science). The initial search resulted in 1,227 articles, of which 104 were identified as potentially relevant. Fifty-three articles that met the inclusion criteria were identified and included in the final analysis. Results: Using the three hierarchical dimensions of the BHN model, 17 needs were organised, with five in the psychobiological dimension, 10 in the psychosocial dimension, and two in the psychospiritual dimension. These needs reflect the importance of care with dignity and relief from suffering for the elderly in palliative care. Conclusion: Recognising impaired BHNs in elderly people receiving palliative care will contribute to better care plans for the elderly, considering the multiple bio-psycho-social-spiritual dimensions of BHNs. This review points to a predominance of psychosocial needs.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2021

In the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), social distancing and strict visitation policies at hospitals have made it difficult for medical staff to provide high-quality end-of-life (EOL) care to dying patients and their families. There are various issues related to EOL care, including psychological problems of patients and their families, difficulties in EOL decision-making, the complicated grief of the bereaved family, moral distress, and exhaustion of medical staff. In relation to these issues, we aimed to discuss practical considerations in providing high-quality EOL care in the COVID-19 pandemic. First, medical staff should discuss advance care planning as early as possible and use the parallel planning strategy. Second, medical staff should play a role in facilitating patient-family communication. Third, medical staff should actively and proactively evaluate and alleviate dying patients' symptoms using non-verbal communication. Lastly, medical staff should provide care for family members of the dying patient, who may be particularly vulnerable to post-bereavement problems in the COVID-19 era. Establishing a system of screening high-risk individuals for complicated grief and connecting them to bereavement support services might be considered. Despite the challenging and limited environment, providing EOL care is essential for patients to die with dignity in peace and for the remaining family to return to life after the loved one's death. Efforts considering the practical issues faced by all medical staff and healthcare institutions caring for dying patients should be made.