BMC Palliative Care Research Articles

Writing connections as a source of significance: group poetry therapy among patients with advanced cancer

ABSTRACT The need for psychosocial support in cancer treatment, especially in the palliative care phase, has been identified in a nationwide population-based study, published in BMC palliative care (Wang et al., 2016). This study discusses the use of group poetry therapy among patients with advanced cancer to address their psychosocial and emotional needs. A group of seven patients with advanced cancer used poetry therapeutic methods to examine the emotions provoked by a serious illness. The integrative poetry therapy method employed in this research aimed to reduce emotional loneliness, strengthen patient-experienced connectedness to self, others, and nature, and make these connections visible through writing and narration. This qualitative analysis examines the themes raised in the patients’ texts from a connectivity-building viewpoint. Nature-themed metaphor and mindfulness work helped patients verbalize connectedness with others, nature, themselves, and their own individual resources and vulnerabilities. The group dealt with both constructive and destructive emotions. Emotions that strengthened and maintained connections included love, hope, and gratitude. These emotions were perceived as supportive and cherishable. Emotional writing provided a controlled and safe means to connect with destructive emotions, such as existential loneliness and abandonment.

Where do I start? Introducing simulation in a hospice environment

Simulation is widely recognised as a safe, valuable learning modality [1]. However, it is greatly underutilised in End of Life (EoL) care [2] where the majority of learning has been theoretical. A plethora of challenges exist around introducing a simulation programme in a hospice environment, both organisational and psychological [3], including implementing a new idea at a time when healthcare workers are experiencing unprecedented levels of burnout following a pandemic. As part of a one-year project funded by Health Education England, we sought to create and introduce a comprehensive simulation-based programme for rollout across the Hospice with clear benefits and relevant subject matter that engages our wide range of MDTs as well as non-clinical staff. Posters were used to begin to introduce the concept of simulation. A mixture of questionnaires, interviews and online sessions were held to establish current knowledge and views of staff on simulation-based learning. Time was set aside to thoroughly outline the project and its benefits to teams throughout the Hospice, clinical and non-clinical staff. Questionnaire results from 52 respondents show that 35% of staff had no knowledge of simulation prior to the information given as part of this project. Despite this, when simulation was explained more clearly, all respondents felt that they would be able to gain something positive from introduction of a simulation-based programme as shown in Participants’ response to the question: What participants expect simulation-based learning to improve in their practice? Teams amongst the hospice recognise that simulation provides a valuable learning opportunity. By ensuring understanding of the project, encouraging involvement of all teams, and recognising their unique concerns, thoughts and pressures, it is possible to implement a successful simulation-based programme in the Hospice environment leading to quality improvement in End-of-Life care. 1. Randall DC. Pragmatic children’s nursing: A theory for children and their childhoods. Routledge; 2015. 2. Bassah N, Seymour J, Cox K. A modified systematic review of research evidence about education for pre-registration nurses in palliative care. BMC Palliative Care. 2014;13(1):1–10. 3. Patterson MD, Blike GT, Nadkarni VM. Advances in Patient Safety. Situ Simulation: Challenges and Results. In: Kerm Henriksen, James B. Battles, MA Keyes und ML Grady (Hg.): Advances in Patient Safety. New directions and alternative approaches, 3, p.4. 2008

A longevity society requires integrated palliative care models for historically excluded older people

A longevity society requires integrated palliative care models for historically excluded older people

Bewegung bei Krebs im fortgeschrittenen Stadium: Was sind die Motive der Betroffenen und welche Hindernisse gibt es?

OriginalpublikationFrikkel J, Götte M, Beckmann M, et al. Fatigue, barriers to physical activity and predictors for motivation to exercise in advanced Cancer patients. BMC palliative care 2020; 19: 1–11 1

ES20.03 Fatigue

ES20.03 Fatigue

Scientific production about palliative care and communication in online journals: a scoping review.

to characterize publications about palliative care and communication, with an emphasis on the approaches addressed, disseminated in online journals. it is a scope review, in which the mnemonic strategy Problem, Concept and Context was used, based on database research. The sample consisted of 86 publications. most publications were written in the English language, published in the journal BMC Palliative Care, and with level of evidence IV. As for the approaches approached, the following stand out: Importance of communication in palliative care; Breaking the bad news in palliative care; Training professionals/staff to communicate in palliative care; and Communication strategies in palliative care. the review made it possible to map a significant number of publications on palliative care and communication. It is recommended to produce new studies with better scientific evidence that guide the assistance of health professionals.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Do Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Have a Biphasic Effect?

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Do Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Have a Biphasic Effect?

Do journals contribute to the international publication of research in their field? A bibliometric analysis of palliative care journal data

Background: Research is important internationally, impacting on health service provision and patient benefit. Journals play an important dissemination role, but there may be geographical bias, potentially affecting access to evidence. Aim: To understand if there is a relationship between the continent of journals and that of contributing authors. Design: Bibliometric analysis of journal citation report data (June 2018). Odds ratio of association of an author being from region, region of journal publication, publication model and the number of papers. Setting: Journals specialising in palliative care research, with an impact factor above the median impact factor for their most common indexing category. Results: Five journals: three published in Europe (Palliative Medicine, BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, and BMC Palliative Care) and two in North America (Journal of Pain and Symptom Management and Journal of Palliative Medicine). Authors were from 30+ countries, but mostly North America (54.18%) or Europe (27.94%). Preliminary sensitivity tests show that the odds of an author being from a North American institution increase 16.4 times (p < 0.01; 95% confidence interval: 12.9, 20.8) if the region of journal publication is North America. The odds of an author being from a European institution is 14.0 times (p < 0.01; 95% confidence interval: 10.9, 17.9) higher if the region of journal publication is Europe. Conclusion: Publishers, editors and authors are concentrated in North America or Europe. North American authors are more present in North American journals and European authors in European journals. This polarised approach, if replicated across readerships, may lead to research waste, duplication, and be sub-optimal for healthcare development.

PC-FACS

PC-FACS

PC-FACS

PC-FACS

Freiwilliger Verzicht auf Nahrung und Flüssigkeit („Sterbefasten“)

No AccessFreiwilliger Verzicht auf Nahrung und Flüssigkeit („Sterbefasten“)Ein Ausweg am Lebensende?Prof. Dr. phil. Alfred SimonProf. Dr. phil. Alfred Simon Akademie für Ethik in der Medizin Humboldtallee 36 37073 Göttingen Deutschland http://www.aem-online.de/ Authors email:[email protected]Akademie für Ethik in der MedizinHumboldtallee 3637073 GöttingenDeutschlandSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:Dec 2017https://doi.org/10.13109/weme.2017.69.6.487SectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail AboutAbstractVoluntary stopping of eating and drinking (VSED) is discussed as an option for capable, terminally ill patients who wish to hasten death. Caring for a patient who is going this way can be a moral challenge for physicians, nurses and relatives. Furthermore, the current ethical and juridical evaluation of VSED is inconsistent and controversial. Previous article Next article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited by“Discussion or silent accompaniment: a grounded theory study about voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland”24 May 2022 | BMC Palliative Care, Vol. 21, No. 1Biathanatos revisited: Anabaptist perspectives on voluntarily stopping eating and drinking in the face of terminal illness31 May 2022 | Palliative Care and Social Practice, Vol. 16 Download book coverVolume 69Issue 6December 2017 ISSN: 0043-2040eISSN: 2196-8284HistoryPublished online:December 2017 PDF download

Poster Subject Index

Background Burden and distress experienced by family carers of plwMND is well known and reported widely within the published literature. Evidence-based screening tools to help identify carers at risk of breakdown and plan appropriate support to meet carers’ needs are urgently needed.1 The Carers’ Alert Thermometer (CAT) was developed in a study funded by the NIHR (2011-2014). It is a quick and easy-to-use alert tool designed to be completed collaboratively by carers and non-specialist health staff to identify the needs of carers of family members with cancer and advanced progressive illness in their last year of life.2 The CAT has 10 questions to identify the support needed by the carer to provide care and for the carer’s own health and well-being. A traffic light system indicates the level of need for each alert and a visual thermometer signifies the extent of the carer’s needs. There is a guidance section for alerts which can be tailored to local services and an action plan to complete with review dates. (www.edgehill.ac.uk for more details). Objectives To modify the CAT and pilot it with family carers of plwMND to determine its usefulness in identifying their need for support. Methods A workshop was held with MND Association Visitors (AVs), Regional Care Development Advisers (RCDAs) and a Regional Delivery Manager (RDM) to review the CAT, provide training on its implementation and demonstrate resources including a DVD. The CAT was modified to ensure its wording and format were appropriate for non-healthcare staff to use e.g. removing some patient information and replacing the term ‘risk’ with ‘need’. Participants then trialled the CAT with family carers during routine appointments. Feedback on the utility of the CAT is obtained through a self-completed online survey and telephone interview. Results Piloting is currently underway. To-date preliminary data reveals that AVs and RCDAs who trialled it found the CAT very useful in their discussions with family carers and intended to continue using it. It was felt particularly beneficial for monitoring changes in the caring role as the disease progresses. Further roll out and piloting of the CAT is underway and additional findings will be presented. Discussion and conclusions Participants found the CAT relevant and feasible. It is an easy-to-use tool to facilitate discussions with family carers regarding their own specific needs and how these may be addressed. Use of the CAT with carers supports the MND Association’s mission to ensure that support is there not just for the person diagnosed with MND, but for the relatives and friends who care for them too.

Assistance in Dying: Deepening Understanding of Novel Ethical Issues in Psychiatry

Assistance in Dying: Deepening Understanding of Novel Ethical Issues in Psychiatry

Palliative chemotherapy: oxymoron or misunderstanding?

Oncologists routinely prescribe chemotherapy for patients with advanced cancer. This practice is sometimes misunderstood by palliative care clinicians, yet data clearly show that chemotherapy can be a powerful palliative intervention when applied appropriately. Clarity regarding the term “palliative chemotherapy” is needed: it is chemotherapy given in the non-curative setting to optimize symptom control, improve quality of life, and sometimes to improve survival. Unfortunately, oncologists lack adequate tools to predict which patients will benefit. In a study recently published in BMC Palliative Care, Creutzfeldt et al. presented an innovative approach to advancing the science in this area: using patient reported outcomes to predict responses to palliative chemotherapy. With further research, investigators may be able to develop predictive models for use at the bedside to inform clinical decision-making about the risks and benefits of treatment. In the meantime, oncologists and palliative care clinicians must work together to reduce the use of “end-of-life chemotherapy”—chemotherapy given close to death, which does not improve longevity or symptom control—while optimizing the use of chemotherapy that has true palliative benefits for patients.

BMC Palliative Care reviewer acknowledgement 2015

Contributing reviewersThe editors of BMC Palliative Care would like to thank all our reviewers who have contributed to the journal in Volume 14 (2015).

BMC Palliative Care reviewer acknowledgement 2014

Contributing reviewersThe editors of BMC Palliative Care would like to thank all our reviewers who have contributed to the journal in Volume 13 (2014).

Making Palliative Care Matter

Journal of Palliative MedicineVol. 17, No. 12 Notes from the EditorMaking Palliative Care MatterIrene J. Higginson and Senior Associate EditorIrene J. HigginsonSearch for more papers by this author and Senior Associate EditorSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:15 Dec 2014https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2014.9393AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"Making Palliative Care Matter." Journal of Palliative Medicine, 17(12), pp. 1292–1293FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited ByPalliative care training addressed to hospital healthcare professionals by palliative care specialists: a mixed-method evaluation26 October 2019 | BMC Palliative Care, Vol. 18, No. 1 Volume 17Issue 12Dec 2014 InformationCopyright 2014, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Irene J. Higginson and Senior Associate Editor.Making Palliative Care Matter.Journal of Palliative Medicine.Dec 2014.1292-1293.http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2014.9393Published in Volume: 17 Issue 12: December 15, 2014Online Ahead of Print:November 13, 2014PDF download

Does the Palliative Performance Scale Have Added Value Over the Karnofsky Performance Status in Ambulatory Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care?

Journal of Palliative MedicineVol. 17, No. 3 Letters to the EditorDoes the Palliative Performance Scale Have Added Value Over the Karnofsky Performance Status in Ambulatory Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care?Carlos Eduardo Paiva and Bianca Sakamoto Ribeiro PaivaCarlos Eduardo PaivaDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.Learning and Research Institute, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.Quality of Life Research Group (GPQual), Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.Search for more papers by this author and Bianca Sakamoto Ribeiro PaivaLearning and Research Institute, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.Quality of Life Research Group (GPQual), Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:11 Mar 2014https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2013.0603AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"Does the Palliative Performance Scale Have Added Value Over the Karnofsky Performance Status in Ambulatory Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care?." Journal of Palliative Medicine, 17(3), pp. 264–265FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byBarthel Index is a valid and reliable tool to measure the functional independence of cancer patients in palliative care12 July 2022 | BMC Palliative Care, Vol. 21, No. 1Clinical frailty and performance scale translation in palliative care: scoping review1 June 2022 | BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, Vol. 12, No. 3Comparisons of effects of SOX and mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy regimens on patients with locally advanced gastric cancer6 July 2021 | Journal of Chemotherapy, Vol. 34, No. 2Short-form quality care questionnaire-palliative care has acceptable measurement properties in Brazilian cancer patients25 March 2021 | BMC Palliative Care, Vol. 20, No. 1Constructivist Stakian Multicase Study: Methodological Issues Encountered in Cross-Cultural Palliative Care Research6 May 2021 | International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Vol. 20The Brazilian Version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) Is a Feasible, Valid and Reliable Instrument for the Measurement of Symptoms in Advanced Cancer Patients8 July 2015 | PLOS ONE, Vol. 10, No. 7 Volume 17Issue 3Mar 2014 InformationCopyright 2014, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Carlos Eduardo Paiva and Bianca Sakamoto Ribeiro Paiva.Does the Palliative Performance Scale Have Added Value Over the Karnofsky Performance Status in Ambulatory Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care?.Journal of Palliative Medicine.Mar 2014.264-265.http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2013.0603Published in Volume: 17 Issue 3: March 11, 2014Online Ahead of Print:February 12, 2014PDF download

BMC Palliative Care reviewer acknowledgement, 2013

Contributing reviewersThe editors of BMC Palliative Care would like to thank all our reviewers who have contributed to the journal in Volume 12 (2013).

The Demise of the Liverpool Care Pathway? A Cautionary Tale for Palliative Care

Journal of Palliative MedicineVol. 16, No. 12 Notes from the EditorThe Demise of the Liverpool Care Pathway? A Cautionary Tale for Palliative CareJ. Andrew Billings, Senior Associate Editor and Susan D. Block, Editorial Board MemberJ. Andrew Billings, Senior Associate EditorSearch for more papers by this author and Susan D. Block, Editorial Board MemberSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:10 Dec 2013https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2013.0493AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byInternational transfer and translation of an end of life care intervention: the case of the Liverpool Care Pathway for the dying patient27 October 2020 | Wellcome Open Research, Vol. 5The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient: a critical analysis of its rise, demise and legacy in England22 February 2018 | Wellcome Open Research, Vol. 3The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient: a critical analysis of its rise, demise and legacy in England24 April 2018 | Wellcome Open Research, Vol. 3Electronic Implementation of Integrated End-of-life Care: A Local ApproachInternational Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 17, No. 2The characteristics of patients who discontinue their dying process – an observational study at a single university hospital centre7 December 2015 | BMC Palliative Care, Vol. 14, No. 1Use of a Modified Liverpool Care Pathway in a Tertiary Asian Hospital: Is There Still a Role for It? Ong Eng Koon, Shirlyn Neo Hui Shan, Sushma Shivananda, Tan Yung Ying, Arrynoer Thang, Aung Myat Kyawt, Ulina Santoso, Grace Pang Su Yin, Alethea Yee Chung Pheng, and Patricia Neo Soek Hui18 May 2015 | Journal of Palliative Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 6You Keep Using That Term Robert Macauley3 July 2014 | Journal of Palliative Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 7Palliative Medicine in Health Care Systems Charles F. von Gunten, Editor-in-Chief10 January 2014 | Journal of Palliative Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 1 Volume 16Issue 12Dec 2013 InformationCopyright 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:J. Andrew Billings, Senior Associate Editor and Susan D. Block, Editorial Board Member.The Demise of the Liverpool Care Pathway? A Cautionary Tale for Palliative Care.Journal of Palliative Medicine.Dec 2013.1492-1495.http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2013.0493Published in Volume: 16 Issue 12: December 10, 2013Online Ahead of Print:October 25, 2013PDF download