[Emergencies in patients undergoing palliative care at home. A qualitative study of telephone calls to Center 15]

The Samu-Centres 15 (French medical emergency centers) are regularly solicited for patients undergoing palliative treatment at their homes and presenting acute complications. No specific response is foreseen for such situations. However, the problems are frequent and crucial. Who is the most appropriate person to intervene? Should the patient be hospitalised or not? Does the patient require reanimation? What are the patients' and families' needs in such circumstances? In an attempt to outline the answers, we collected the opinion of the families concerned.

We interviewed all the families soliciting the Samu for emergencies concerning patients undergoing palliative treatment at home. To collect their feelings and experience, we used a survey in the form of non directive interviews.

In a month, 12 telephone calls concerning our matter were received by the Centre 15 of the Alpes-Maritimes. The interview with the families revealed many elements such as loneliness, guilty feelings, responsibility, surprise when the death occurs, the poor adaptation of the structures and the lack of training of the emergency medical staff.

The issues underlined require enhanced attention: how can we help the families in such situations? How should the emergency medical staff be trained in accompanying death and palliative treatment? Are the existing structures adapted?