“I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative study
Abstract Background Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe and profoundly impact the end-of-life care experience, including service provision. There is a paucity of research examining healthcare workers’ experiences in responding to care demands when disasters strike. This research...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Palliative Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01137-0 |
| _version_ | 1797863215038726144 |
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| author | Marguerite Kelly Imogen Mitchell Iain Walker Jane Mears Brett Scholz |
| author_facet | Marguerite Kelly Imogen Mitchell Iain Walker Jane Mears Brett Scholz |
| author_sort | Marguerite Kelly |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe and profoundly impact the end-of-life care experience, including service provision. There is a paucity of research examining healthcare workers’ experiences in responding to care demands when disasters strike. This research aimed to fill this gap by exploring end-of-life care providers’ perceptions of the impact of natural disasters on end-of-life care. Methods Between Feb 2021-June 2021 ten in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals providing end-of-life care during recent natural disasters, COVID-19, and/or fires and floods. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a hybrid inductive and deductive thematic approach. Results The overarching theme from the healthcare workers’ accounts was of being unable to provide effective compassionate and quality care - “I can’t make all this work.” They spoke of the considerable burdens the system imposed on them, of being overextended and overwhelmed, having their roles overturned, and losing the human element of care for those at end-of-life. Conclusion There is urgent need to pioneer effective solutions to minimise the distress of healthcare professionals in delivering end-of-life care in disaster contexts, and to improve the experience of those dying. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:33:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a7638405ff614de7b1e89aa5b9177418 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-684X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:33:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Palliative Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-a7638405ff614de7b1e89aa5b91774182023-03-22T12:40:57ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2023-03-012211810.1186/s12904-023-01137-0“I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative studyMarguerite Kelly0Imogen Mitchell1Iain Walker2Jane Mears3Brett Scholz4School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National UniversitySchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National UniversityMelbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of MelbourneSchool of Social Sciences, Western Sydney UniversitySchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National UniversityAbstract Background Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe and profoundly impact the end-of-life care experience, including service provision. There is a paucity of research examining healthcare workers’ experiences in responding to care demands when disasters strike. This research aimed to fill this gap by exploring end-of-life care providers’ perceptions of the impact of natural disasters on end-of-life care. Methods Between Feb 2021-June 2021 ten in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals providing end-of-life care during recent natural disasters, COVID-19, and/or fires and floods. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a hybrid inductive and deductive thematic approach. Results The overarching theme from the healthcare workers’ accounts was of being unable to provide effective compassionate and quality care - “I can’t make all this work.” They spoke of the considerable burdens the system imposed on them, of being overextended and overwhelmed, having their roles overturned, and losing the human element of care for those at end-of-life. Conclusion There is urgent need to pioneer effective solutions to minimise the distress of healthcare professionals in delivering end-of-life care in disaster contexts, and to improve the experience of those dying.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01137-0Palliative careEnd of life careLife support careNatural disastersEpidemicsPandemics |
| spellingShingle | Marguerite Kelly Imogen Mitchell Iain Walker Jane Mears Brett Scholz “I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative study BMC Palliative Care Palliative care End of life care Life support care Natural disasters Epidemics Pandemics |
| title | “I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative study |
| title_full | “I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | “I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | “I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative study |
| title_short | “I can’t make all this work.” End of life care provision in natural disasters: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | i can t make all this work end of life care provision in natural disasters a qualitative study |
| topic | Palliative care End of life care Life support care Natural disasters Epidemics Pandemics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-023-01137-0 |
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