| Author(s): |
Rosemary McIntyre |
| Publisher: |
Whurr Publishers Ltd |
| Year: |
2002 |
| Description: |
What are the feelings and needs of families of patients dying on acute hospital wards? Are they adequately managed? How do staff nurses feel when dealing with the relatives of dying patients? Do they avoid it, if possible? Is it stressful? This book is a detailed report of a research project designed to address these questions. Phase1 of the study sets out to define the key issues from points of view of both relatives and staff. A two-day workshop was then held to discuss the findings and then to plan the development, implementation and evaluation of quality assurance standards for improved family support during terminal illness. Post-intervention interviews with relatives and with staff document improvement and the liberal use of direct quotations from the interviews is a highlight. This book would be a useful addition to the palliative care library shelf, particularly in acute hospitals. It is a demonstration that change is possible and the clear documentation of all the processes involved make it a good example of how to go about quality assurance improvements. Review by: Roger Woodruff, MD (Australia) |