Dignity in the care of people with advanced illness in emergency services from the perspective of family members: A qualitative study

• Published in: International emergency nursing 2022-11, Vol.65, p.101216, Article 101216
• Main Authors: Ester, Mateo-Aguilar, Manuel, Martínez-Casas José, Rocío, Pérez-Rodríguez, Cayetano, Fernández-Sola, Dobairro-Sanz, Iria, Dolores, Ruiz-Fernández María
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dignity; Emergency hospital services; Family: disease progression; Professional-family relations; Qualitative research
• ISSN: 1755-599X; 1532-9267
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2022.101216

•Fear, worry and anxiety are emotions that emerge in relatives about the way patients are treated in the emergency department.•Dignity can be threatened in the emergency services according to the perception of the participants.•The attitudes of professionals and their communication skills affect the dignity of patients in the emergency department.•Factors intrinsic and extrinsic to health professionals determine whether there is dignified care. Patients with advanced illness frequently attend emergency services, accompanied by their relatives. The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of relatives, related to loss and preservation of dignity in end-of-life care in the emergency department. Descriptive qualitative study. Eighteen in-depth interviews were conducted in the period between January 2020 and June 2020. The Atlas.Ti ® version 9 programme was used as support in the analysis of the speeches. 3 themes emerged: 1) “the urgency of dignity” which includes aspects related to going to the emergency room and moments when dignity can be threatened; 2) “dignity in the hands of health professionals” which deals with attitudes and gaps in communication skills of professionals: 3) “care from the perspective of dignity in emergencies” which includes conditions that can help preserve dignity and those aspects of the health system that interfere in the maintenance of dignity. The care of these patients and their families requires specific protocols that include a humane and dignified approach, as well as intervention programmes aimed at health professionals.