P097 Carer Experiences of Palliative Care: How Have Carers of Deceased Palliative Care Patients Experienced Palliative Care Provided by Mt Druitt Supportive and Palliative Care Unit?

Abstract

Following participation in the Australian National Standards Accreditation Program (2011, 2013) our interdisciplinary team reflected on findings from quantitative evaluation of service provision. Discussion explored approaches to evaluation that would yield richer detail about the experiences of bereaved carers of people with a life limiting illness; from their first contact with our palliative care service, throughout the illness trajectory to death and into bereavement. With a desire to engage bereaved carers directly in service evaluation and to learn from their unique stories, our team commenced a qualitative study underpinned by an appreciation of integral elements of qualitative methodology, including the nature of the interview process and the quality of the relationship with the interviewer. The study involved interviewing bereaved carers using an open-ended, in depth interview framework. Thirteen bereaved carers were recruited three to six months following the death of a palliative care patient and interviewed by an undergraduate Social Work Honours student who was supervised by two members of the research team. This paper will report on thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. Approaches to the dissemination of findings designed to inform the practice of staff directly involved in care provision will be explored. Challenges associated with the role of practitioner-researcher and other study limitations will also be considered. Informed by ethical considerations relevant to research involving bereaved participants (Bentley and O’Connor, 2015, Beck and Konnert, 2007, Buckle et al, 2010, Sekelja, 2009), this study aims to honour the experience and contribution of the voices of bereaved carers to service development.