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. 2019 Mar;33(1):77-84.
doi: 10.1111/scs.12603. Epub 2018 Aug 13.

What is palliative care? Perceptions of healthcare professionals

Birgitta Wallerstedt  1   2 , Eva Benzein  1   2 , Kristina Schildmeijer  1 , Anna Sandgren  1   2
Affiliations

What is palliative care? Perceptions of healthcare professionals

Birgitta Wallerstedt et al. Scand J Caring Sci. 2019 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Despite increased attention and knowledge in palliative care, there is still confusion concerning how to interpret the concept of palliative care and implement it in practice. This can result in difficulties for healthcare professionals in identifying patients whom would benefit from palliative care, which, in turn, could lead to a delay in meeting patients' needs.

Aim: To explore healthcare professionals' perceptions of palliative care.

Method: Data were collected through twelve interprofessional focus group interviews in community care and hospital wards in south Sweden (n = 74). All interviews were analysed with latent content analysis.

Results: Three domains were revealed: first, a blurred conceptual understanding as participants described palliative care using synonyms, diagnoses, phases, natural care and holism; second, a challenge to communicate transitions concerned the importance of how and when the transition to palliative care was communicated and documented; finally, a need for interprofessional collaboration was described as well as the consequences for severely ill persons, relatives and healthcare professionals when it was not established.

Conclusion: The perceptions about how to interpret palliative care differed as well as when palliative care should be offered and decided, which might have practical consequences. How long a person has left to live is of great significance for decision-making, caregiving and preparation in palliative care. The challenge is to use interprofessional communication to promote understanding and collaborate across varied care levels. Integrating palliative care across diverse care levels could be one way to reduce the ambiguity of palliative care.

Keywords: collaboration; communication; conceptual definition; focus group interviews; healthcare professionals; palliative care; perceptions.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflict of interests in connection with this article.

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