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Rykkje L, Holm AL, Hem MH. Norwegian Nurses' Reflections Upon Experiences of Ethical Challenges in Older People Care: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis. SAGE Open Nurs 2021; 7:23779608211057938. [PMID: 34869863 PMCID: PMC8640321 DOI: 10.1177/23779608211057938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Internationally, aging populations have increased needs for health care services, and often specialized care is required. However, services for older people tend to be underfunded, resulting in lack of qualified staff and poor quality care. Resource shortages lead to ethical challenges and insufficient nursing care. Therefore, quality in daily care for older people also depends upon the nurses’ ability to make complex, ethical decisions in their practice. Objectives To explore ethical challenges experienced by nurses caring for older people in clinical practice, and to provide examples of management for the challenges. Methods The data collected were written reflection notes by Norwegian continuous education students in advanced gerontology. Forty two of 83 notes were included and a thematic analysis in six steps was utilized. Findings There are three main themes: (1) meeting vulnerability, discomfort, and suffering, (2) collaboration with relatives, and (3) struggling to perform professional care. Conclusion Nurses strive to “do what is in the patients’ best interest”, and this is fostered through collaboration, professionalism, care, and presence. Nurses’ ethical competencies may develop when reflecting upon their own care performance. Building ethical competencies should be a priority in both nursing education and clinical practice. However, to improve care quality, nurses also need professional knowledge about older people care and ethical awareness should be supported by the workplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Rykkje
- Faculty of Health Studies, VID Specialized University, Bergen, Norway
| | - Anne Lise Holm
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Haugesund, Norway
| | - Marit Helene Hem
- Faculty of Health Studies, VID Specialized University, Oslo, Norway
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Tziraki C, Grimes C, Ventura F, O’Caoimh R, Santana S, Zavagli V, Varani S, Tramontano D, Apóstolo J, Geurden B, De Luca V, Tramontano G, Romano MR, Anastasaki M, Lionis C, Rodríguez-Acuña R, Capelas ML, dos Santos Afonso T, Molloy DW, Liotta G, Iaccarino G, Triassi M, Eklund P, Roller-Wirnsberger R, Illario M. Rethinking palliative care in a public health context: addressing the needs of persons with non-communicable chronic diseases. Prim Health Care Res Dev 2020; 21:e32. [PMID: 32928334 PMCID: PMC7503185 DOI: 10.1017/s1463423620000328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCDs) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Demographic aging has resulted in older populations with more complex healthcare needs. This necessitates a multilevel rethinking of healthcare policies, health education and community support systems with digitalization of technologies playing a central role. The European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (A3) working group focuses on well-being for older adults, with an emphasis on quality of life and healthy aging. A subgroup of A3, including multidisciplinary stakeholders in health care across Europe, focuses on the palliative care (PC) model as a paradigm to be modified to meet the needs of older persons with NCCDs. This development paper delineates the key parameters we identified as critical in creating a public health model of PC directed to the needs of persons with NCCDs. This paradigm shift should affect horizontal components of public health models. Furthermore, our model includes vertical components often neglected, such as nutrition, resilience, well-being and leisure activities. The main enablers identified are information and communication technologies, education and training programs, communities of compassion, twinning activities, promoting research and increasing awareness amongst policymakers. We also identified key 'bottlenecks': inequity of access, insufficient research, inadequate development of advance care planning and a lack of co-creation of relevant technologies and shared decision-making. Rethinking PC within a public health context must focus on developing policies, training and technologies to enhance person-centered quality life for those with NCCD, while ensuring that they and those important to them experience death with dignity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chariklia Tziraki
- Israel Gerontological Data Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- MELABEV – Community Clubs for Elders, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Filipa Ventura
- The Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rónán O’Caoimh
- Department of Medicine, Clinical Sciences Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Silvina Santana
- Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | | | - Donatella Tramontano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - João Apóstolo
- Department of Nursing, Nursing School of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Bart Geurden
- Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Vincenzo De Luca
- Research and Development Unit, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tramontano
- Hospital Care Division, General Directorate for Health, Campania Region, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Romano
- Hospital Care Division, General Directorate for Health, Campania Region, Naples, Italy
| | - Marilena Anastasaki
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Christos Lionis
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Manuel Luis Capelas
- Interdisciplinary Health Research Center (CIIS), Institute of Health Sciences, Portuguese Catholic University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tânia dos Santos Afonso
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Center for Pharmaceutical Studies, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - David William Molloy
- Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University College of Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Giuseppe Liotta
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Guido Iaccarino
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Triassi
- Department of Public Health, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Patrik Eklund
- Department of Computing Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Maddalena Illario
- Department of Public Health, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
- Health Innovation Division, General Directorate for Health, Campania Region, Naples, Italy
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