Family perspectives on communication with healthcare providers during end-of-life cancer care.

摘要: PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To assess healthcare provider communication about end-of-life (EOL) and hospice care with patients terminal cancer their families, from the perspective of family members. DESIGN Exploratory, qualitative study using focus group discussion. SETTING University Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center. SAMPLE 24 spouses first-degree relatives deceased who had been treated at center 2000-2002. METHODS Family members participated in one two discussions completed a short questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics type EOL received. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptive statistics. Qualitative audiotaped by comparing, contrasting, summarizing content themes groups NUD IST 5(N5) software. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES perceptions team care. FINDINGS Participants associated information, content, style, language, timing professionals patient age, attitudes, compliance medical decisions. Informed decisions members, including use services, appeared to be compromised these types biases. CONCLUSIONS Satisfaction was perceived quality among patients, team. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Study findings highlight importance training timing, potential biases information delivery facilitate informed dying families.