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Healthcare Professionals' Perceptions (healthcare + professional_perception)
Selected AbstractsHealthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancerJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 7 2010Esther Mok mok e., lau k-p., lam w-m., chan l-n., ng j.s.c. & chan k-s. (2010) Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(7), 1510,1522. Abstract Title.,Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. Aim., This paper is a report of an exploration of the phenomenon of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer from the perspectives of healthcare professionals. Background., Existential distress is an important concern in patients with advanced cancer; it affects their well-being and needs to be addressed in the provision of holistic care. Method., Focus groups were conducted from November 2008 to February 2009 with physicians, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and chaplains working in a palliative care unit that served patients with advanced cancer in Hong Kong. Data collection and analysis were guided by the grounded theory approach. All categories were saturated when five focus groups had been held with a total number of 23 participants. Findings., We found three causal conditions of existential distress: anticipation of a negative future, failure to engage in meaningful activities and relationships, and having regrets. Three basic (caring, relating and knowing) and six specific (positive feedback, religious support, new experiences, task setting, exploring alternatives and relationship reconciliation) intervening strategies were identified. Whether the intervening strategies would be effective would depend on patients' openness and readiness; healthcare professionals' self-awareness, hopefulness, and interest in knowing the patients; and a trusting relationship between patients and healthcare professionals. A sense of peace in patients was considered a consequence of successful interventions. Conclusion., This paper acknowledges the lack of an accepted conceptual framework of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. It is based on healthcare professionals' views, and further studies from the perspectives of patients and their families are needed. [source] ,All singing from the same hymn sheet': Healthcare professionals' perceptions of developing patient education material about the cardiovascular aspects of rheumatoid arthritisMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 4 2009Holly John BM BS, MRCP Abstract Objective:,Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Britain, and its prevention is a priority. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an increased risk of CVD, and management of modifiable classical risk factors requires a programme with patient education at its heart. Before a programme for RA patients is implemented, it is important to explore the perceptions of patients and relevant healthcare professionals and consider how these could influence the subsequent content, timing and delivery of such education. Here, we assess healthcare professionals' perceptions. Methods:,Qualitative focus group methodology was adopted. Four group meetings of healthcare professionals were held using a semi-structured interview schedule. The focus group transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results:,Three superordinate themes emerged: professional determinations about people with RA, including their perceptions about patients' priorities and motivations; communication about CVD risk, including what should be communicated, how, to whom and when; and responsibility for CVD management, referring to patients and the healthcare community. Conclusions:,Although healthcare professionals agree that it is important to convey the increased CVD risk to patients with RA, there is concern they may be less proactive in promoting risk management strategies. There was uncertainty about the best time to discuss CVD with RA patients. Maintaining a close relationship between primary and secondary care was thought to be important, with all healthcare professionals ,singing from the same hymn sheet'. These findings can inform the development of novel education material to fulfil a currently unmet clinical need. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ,Extra information a bit further down the line': Rheumatoid arthritis patients' perceptions of developing educational material about the cardiovascular disease riskMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 4 2009Holly John BM BS, MRCP Abstract Objective:,There are no patient education programmes addressing the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is the second in a pair of studies exploring stakeholder perceptions of developing such educational material. Healthcare professionals' perceptions were explored in the first study; here, we explore the perceptions of people with RA. Methods:,Semi-structured interviews were held individually with 18 people with RA, purposively sampled to include participants with no co-morbid history of CVD, those with CVD risk factors and those who had experienced a CVD event. The interview transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results:,Four superordinate themes were identified: experiences of living with RA; reactions to learning about co-morbid CVD; implementing lifestyle changes; and expectations of education. Participants found being diagnosed with RA a devastating experience and were mostly unaware of their increased risk of CVD co-morbidity. They explained how information about CVD would be overwhelming and irrelevant at diagnosis, but they would have coped with ,extra information a bit further down the line'. Conclusion:,There is a need to develop educational material or programmes. Their design must consider factors which facilitate lifestyle change, such as motivation or receiving personalized advice, and factors that inhibit change, such as depression or fatalism. Emphasizing the positive effects that some CVD lifestyle changes may have on RA symptom control may be particularly persuasive. Group education would be a popular format. These findings can be directly translated into clinical practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ,All singing from the same hymn sheet': Healthcare professionals' perceptions of developing patient education material about the cardiovascular aspects of rheumatoid arthritisMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 4 2009Holly John BM BS, MRCP Abstract Objective:,Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Britain, and its prevention is a priority. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an increased risk of CVD, and management of modifiable classical risk factors requires a programme with patient education at its heart. Before a programme for RA patients is implemented, it is important to explore the perceptions of patients and relevant healthcare professionals and consider how these could influence the subsequent content, timing and delivery of such education. Here, we assess healthcare professionals' perceptions. Methods:,Qualitative focus group methodology was adopted. Four group meetings of healthcare professionals were held using a semi-structured interview schedule. The focus group transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results:,Three superordinate themes emerged: professional determinations about people with RA, including their perceptions about patients' priorities and motivations; communication about CVD risk, including what should be communicated, how, to whom and when; and responsibility for CVD management, referring to patients and the healthcare community. Conclusions:,Although healthcare professionals agree that it is important to convey the increased CVD risk to patients with RA, there is concern they may be less proactive in promoting risk management strategies. There was uncertainty about the best time to discuss CVD with RA patients. Maintaining a close relationship between primary and secondary care was thought to be important, with all healthcare professionals ,singing from the same hymn sheet'. These findings can inform the development of novel education material to fulfil a currently unmet clinical need. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||