Emergency care experiences of patients known to palliative care services
A new open-access publication in Australasian Emergency Care explores the Emergency Department care experiences of patients known to palliative care services and their families.
Semi-structured interviews were held with patients known to palliative care services who had presented to a single urban emergency department during the study recruitment period.
Model of supported self-advocacy
The findings from this research project highlighted the challenges associated with care in a busy emergency department and the importance of clear communication of shared priorities. Findings suggested care experiences can be shaped by three elements of supported self-advocacy:
The patient’s capacity to advocate for their own needs
Family member(s)' capacity to advocate for the needs of the patient they’re supporting, and their own needs
ED staff’s ability to advocate for the needs of the patient and family member(s)
“He didn’t and we didn’t have an advocate through that ED. We didn’t have someone that we felt actually cared about our case. It would have only taken one person to stand out and say ‘hey’ and we would’ve felt much better.”
-Family participant
This research was undertaken by Reuben Sutton in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Nursing. Reuben was supervised by Dr Natalie Anderson and Professor Merryn Gott. Thanks to all involved in the project, particularly to the patient and family participants who shared their experiences of emergency department care.