Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative Study
Increasing numbers of people living with chronic and life-limiting diseases are actualising a greater need for palliative care. Physicians are an important provider for identifying the need for palliation, and effective follow-up requires physician collaboration across different service levels. This...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/15/2188 |
| _version_ | 1797586713661407232 |
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| author | Siri Andreassen Devik Gunhild Lein Lersveen |
| author_facet | Siri Andreassen Devik Gunhild Lein Lersveen |
| author_sort | Siri Andreassen Devik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Increasing numbers of people living with chronic and life-limiting diseases are actualising a greater need for palliative care. Physicians are an important provider for identifying the need for palliation, and effective follow-up requires physician collaboration across different service levels. This study aimed to explore and describe how physicians in hospitals and municipalities experience their roles and interactions in the care of palliative patients. Pair interviews were performed with seven physicians working in hospitals, primary care and nursing homes in Mid-Norway. Systematic text condensation was used to analyse the data, resulting in three main themes: <i>The boundaries of palliative care</i>, <i>Alternating understandings of roles</i> and <i>Absence of planning</i>. The physicians’ interactions with palliative patients appeared as a fragmented distribution of tasks rather than a real collaboration with shared responsibility. At both levels, the physicians seemed to assume withdrawn roles as a reaction to unclear and unspoken expectations and to avoid interfering with others’ responsibilities. Moreover, their understanding of palliative care and which groups should be included varied. Realising a collaboration between physicians that is beneficial for both patients and physicians, greater openness and real arenas for discussion and decision-making support are required. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:27:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0d83a948095743018063435dd6dd11f1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:27:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-0d83a948095743018063435dd6dd11f12023-11-18T22:56:47ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-08-011115218810.3390/healthcare11152188Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative StudySiri Andreassen Devik0Gunhild Lein Lersveen1Centre for Care Research, Mid-Norway, Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, 8026 Bodø, NorwayCentre for Development of Institutional and Home Care Services in Trøndelag, 7650 Verdal, NorwayIncreasing numbers of people living with chronic and life-limiting diseases are actualising a greater need for palliative care. Physicians are an important provider for identifying the need for palliation, and effective follow-up requires physician collaboration across different service levels. This study aimed to explore and describe how physicians in hospitals and municipalities experience their roles and interactions in the care of palliative patients. Pair interviews were performed with seven physicians working in hospitals, primary care and nursing homes in Mid-Norway. Systematic text condensation was used to analyse the data, resulting in three main themes: <i>The boundaries of palliative care</i>, <i>Alternating understandings of roles</i> and <i>Absence of planning</i>. The physicians’ interactions with palliative patients appeared as a fragmented distribution of tasks rather than a real collaboration with shared responsibility. At both levels, the physicians seemed to assume withdrawn roles as a reaction to unclear and unspoken expectations and to avoid interfering with others’ responsibilities. Moreover, their understanding of palliative care and which groups should be included varied. Realising a collaboration between physicians that is beneficial for both patients and physicians, greater openness and real arenas for discussion and decision-making support are required.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/15/2188palliative carecollaborationphysicianshomehospitalpair interviewing |
| spellingShingle | Siri Andreassen Devik Gunhild Lein Lersveen Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative Study Healthcare palliative care collaboration physicians home hospital pair interviewing |
| title | Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Specialist and Primary Physicians’ Experiences and Perspectives of Collaboration While Caring for Palliative Patients—A Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | specialist and primary physicians experiences and perspectives of collaboration while caring for palliative patients a qualitative study |
| topic | palliative care collaboration physicians home hospital pair interviewing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/15/2188 |
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