Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families

Aims and objectives: To explore the experiences and perceptions of hospital staff caring for dying patients in a dedicated patient/family room (named Lotus Room). Background: Dying in hospital is a common outcome for people across the world. However, noise and activity in acute environments present...

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Main Authors: Slatyer, Susan, Pienaar, C., Williams, A., Proctor, K., Hewitt, L.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53321
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author Slatyer, Susan
Pienaar, C.
Williams, A.
Proctor, K.
Hewitt, L.
author_facet Slatyer, Susan
Pienaar, C.
Williams, A.
Proctor, K.
Hewitt, L.
author_sort Slatyer, Susan
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Aims and objectives: To explore the experiences and perceptions of hospital staff caring for dying patients in a dedicated patient/family room (named Lotus Room). Background: Dying in hospital is a common outcome for people across the world. However, noise and activity in acute environments present barriers to quality end-of-life care. This is of concern because care provided to dying patients has been shown to affect both the patients and the bereaved families. Design: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 multidisciplinary staff and seven families provided information through an investigator-developed instrument. Results: Qualitative data analysis generated three categories describing: Dying in an hospital; The Lotus Room; and the Outcomes for patients and families. The Lotus Room was seen as a large, private and, ultimately, safe space for patients and families within the public hospital environment. Family feedback supported staff perspectives that the Lotus Room facilitated family presence and communication. Conclusions: The privacy afforded by the Lotus Room within this acute hospital provided benefits for the dying patients and grieving families. Improved outcomes included a peaceful death for patients, which may have assisted the family with their bereavement. Relevance to clinical practice: This study provides evidence of how the physical environment can address well-established barriers to quality end-of-life care in acute hospitals.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2015
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-533212017-10-12T08:46:39Z Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families Slatyer, Susan Pienaar, C. Williams, A. Proctor, K. Hewitt, L. Aims and objectives: To explore the experiences and perceptions of hospital staff caring for dying patients in a dedicated patient/family room (named Lotus Room). Background: Dying in hospital is a common outcome for people across the world. However, noise and activity in acute environments present barriers to quality end-of-life care. This is of concern because care provided to dying patients has been shown to affect both the patients and the bereaved families. Design: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 multidisciplinary staff and seven families provided information through an investigator-developed instrument. Results: Qualitative data analysis generated three categories describing: Dying in an hospital; The Lotus Room; and the Outcomes for patients and families. The Lotus Room was seen as a large, private and, ultimately, safe space for patients and families within the public hospital environment. Family feedback supported staff perspectives that the Lotus Room facilitated family presence and communication. Conclusions: The privacy afforded by the Lotus Room within this acute hospital provided benefits for the dying patients and grieving families. Improved outcomes included a peaceful death for patients, which may have assisted the family with their bereavement. Relevance to clinical practice: This study provides evidence of how the physical environment can address well-established barriers to quality end-of-life care in acute hospitals. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53321 10.1111/jocn.12845 Wiley-Blackwell Publishing restricted
spellingShingle Slatyer, Susan
Pienaar, C.
Williams, A.
Proctor, K.
Hewitt, L.
Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families
title Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families
title_full Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families
title_fullStr Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families
title_full_unstemmed Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families
title_short Finding privacy from a public death: A qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families
title_sort finding privacy from a public death: a qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53321