The experience of health care personnel in providing palliative care in homes for the elderly

Medicinsko in zdravstveno osebje je prisotno tako na začetku kot tudi na koncu življenja. In prav ob koncu življenja igra zdravstveno osebje eno ključnih vlog pri skrbi za umirajoče, ki velja za eno najbolj stresnih v zdravstveni negi. Kljub temu je na tem področju opravljenih malo kvalitativnih raziskav o doživljanju medicinskega in zdravstvenega osebja ob nudenju paliativne oskrbe. Magistrsko delo zato raziskuje, kakšne so izkušnje in pogledi zdravstvenega osebja ter kakšno je njihovo razumevanje in doživljanje paliativne oskrbe v domovih za starejše občane, kjer je poleg bolnišnic izvajanje paliativne oskrbe najbolj pogosto. V raziskavi, ki smo jo izvedli z zdravstvenimi delavci, zaposlenimi v domu za starejše občane, večina udeleženk umiranje in smrt dojema kot naravni in sestavni del življenja ter imajo s paliativno oskrbo pozitivne izkušnje. Kljub temu je večini udeleženk neprijetno, ko pogovor z oskrbovanci ali njihovimi svojci nanese na temo umiranja in smrti, kar bi lahko bila posledica zaznanega pomanjkanja usposobljenosti za take pogovore. Kot najtežji del paliativne oskrbe udeleženke izpostavijo soočanje s trpljenjem in bolečino umirajočega, ki v njih vzbudi občutek nemoči. Poleg tega vse udeleženke v takšni ali drugačni obliki doživljajo stiske in so mnenja, da prevelik del bremena odnašajo domov, a so mnenja, da pogovora s strokovno usposobljenim delavcem ne potrebujejo. Smrt je v današnji družbi še vedno tabu, zaradi česar se zaposleni v domovih za starejše občane spopadajo s smrtjo v zakulisju in se ob stiskah, povezanih z umiranjem in smrtjo, najraje obrnejo eden na drugega. To pa bi lahko bila posledica nerazumevanja oziroma pomanjkanja znanja o paliativni oskrbi, tako zaposlenih kot tudi splošne javnosti. Magistrsko delo spodbuja k bolj aktivnemu razmisleku o paliativni oskrbi v domovih za starejše občane, k razumevanju njene pomembnosti in ozaveščanju o njeni pomembnosti za dobrobit oskrbovancev in njihovih družin.Medical and health care personnel is present both at the beginning and at the end of life. At the end of life, these employees play a crucial role when caring for the dying, which is considered one of the most stressful aspects in health care. Yet in this field, little qualitative research on the experience of medical and health care personnel in providing palliative care has been conducted. This master\u27s thesis explores the feelings and views of medical and health care personnel and their experience and understanding of palliative care in homes for the elderly, where, in addition to hospitals, palliative care is most common. In this study conducted with health professionals employed at a nursing home, most participants perceive dying and death as a natural and integral part of life and have positive experiences with palliative care. Nevertheless, most participants are uncomfortable when talking to care recipients or their relatives on the subject of dying and death, which could be due to a perceived lack of competence for such conversations. As the most difficult part of palliative care, the participants point out the confrontation with the suffering and pain of the dying, which arouses a feeling of helplessness in them. In addition, all participants in one form or another experience hardship and are of the opinion that they take too much of the burden home, but they are of the opinion that they do not need to talk to a professionally trained worker. Death is still a taboo in today\u27s society, which is why employees in homes for the elderly deal with death behind the scenes and prefer to turn to each other in times of distress, related to dying and death. This may be the consequence of misconception or lack of knowledge about palliative care by both employees and the public. This paper is intended to encourage a more intensive consideration of palliative care in homes for the elderly, as well as an understanding and awareness of the importance of palliative care for the well being of patients and their families