Narratives in specialist palliative medicine

Area of Science:

• Medical Humanities
• Palliative Care
• Narrative Medicine

Background:

• Modern medicine's biomedical focus can overlook individual patient experiences.
• Narrative medicine offers a framework to re-center the individual in healthcare.
• Specialist palliative care presents a unique context for exploring multiple narratives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the presence and significance of multiple narratives in specialist palliative care.
• To explore how recognizing these narratives can improve care for suffering, dying patients.
• To examine the potential of narrative approaches for clinician self-understanding and meaning-making in end-of-life care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of narrative elements within the palliative care encounter.
• Exploration of the interlinking and fragmented nature of patient and clinician stories.
• Emphasis on reflective practice through narrative engagement.

Main Results:

• Multiple, often interwoven or fragmented, narratives exist within palliative care settings.
• Awareness of these narratives can lead to a richer understanding of patient suffering.
• Narrative engagement can foster personal meaning and coherence for healthcare professionals.

Conclusions:

• A narrative approach is valuable in specialist palliative care for enhancing patient care and clinician well-being.
• Recognizing the multiplicity of interpretations is crucial for navigating complex end-of-life experiences.
• Encouraging active meaning-making through narrative can address ambiguity and uncertainty in dying processes.