Community palliative care nurse experiences and perceptions of follow-up bereavement support visits to carers

Community (district) nurses (CNs) are well positioned to provide follow‐up home visits to bereaved families and carers of their recently deceased palliative clients. An Australian survey of CN's (n = 58, response rate 29%) described their experiences of bereavement support visits, perceptions o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of nursing practice 2012-08, Vol.18 (4), p.332-339
Main Authors: Chang, Esther, Bidewell, John, Hancock, Karen, Johnson, Amanda, Easterbrook, Sally
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Australia
Bereavement
Carers
Clinical Competence
community nursing
district nursing
Female
Grief
Home Care Services
Hospice Care
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nurses
Nurses - psychology
Nursing
Palliative Care
Perceptions
Polls & surveys
Professional development
Professional-Family Relations
Psychiatric-mental health nursing
Response rate
Roles
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Summary:Community (district) nurses (CNs) are well positioned to provide follow‐up home visits to bereaved families and carers of their recently deceased palliative clients. An Australian survey of CN's (n = 58, response rate 29%) described their experiences of bereavement support visits, perceptions of their role in bereavement care and their professional support needs. Although positive experiences were commonly reported, with 95% of participants considering bereavement follow‐up visits as consistent with their role, 53% found the visits difficult for reasons such as the nurse or client not understanding the purpose, the CN‘s excessive personal identification with the client's situation, the emotional intensity of visits, and lack of confidence or skills despite prior training. The nature and quality of the CN‘s prior relationship with the bereaved family was an important determinant of the visits’ success. Results highlight the value of bereavement support visits, while identifying professional development needs. Managing emotionally intense episodes should receive priority in preparing CN's for this challenging role.
ISSN:1322-7114
1440-172X
DOI:10.1111/j.1440-172X.2012.02046.x