Palliative care and its own identity, through an autoethnography: do you recognize these patterns?

Area of Science:

• Medical Sociology
• Palliative Care Research
• Qualitative Health Research

Background:

• Palliative care (PC) involves complex patient and family dynamics.
• Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effective end-of-life care.
• Existing literature may not fully capture the nuances of family behavior in PC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe frequent family behavior patterns in palliative care.
• To enhance the understanding of palliative care culture among healthcare professionals.
• To develop practical strategies for managing patient and family behaviors in end-of-life settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research utilizing autoethnography.
• Analysis of extensive clinical experience and observational notes spanning over 25 years.
• Identification and description of typical patient and family behavior scenarios in PC.

Main Results:

• Identification of at least eight typical scenarios of family behavior in palliative care.
• Detailed exploration of four scenarios, including their internal issues and practical management strategies.
• Integration of existing knowledge and research with practical suggestions for clinicians.

Conclusions:

• The identified scenarios offer a novel contribution to describing palliative care culture.
• This research aims to create practical scripts for clinicians to identify and manage end-of-life situations.
• Enhanced understanding of patient and family behaviors can improve professional responses to end-of-life challenges.