Growth in caring and professional ethics in hospice

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Psychology
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Growing emphasis on comprehensive, humanized healthcare from birth to death.
• Need for healthcare professionals to be academically, emotionally, and psychologically prepared for end-of-life care.
• Anxieties experienced by healthcare professionals when dealing with dying patients and their families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key developmental stages for healthcare professionals working with terminally ill patients.
• To provide a framework for professionals to become comfortable with death, dying, and life's end.
• To enhance the humanization of healthcare delivery through improved professional preparedness.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual framework development based on the Harper Schematic Comfortability Growth and Development Scale.
• Identification of six distinct stages in professional development for end-of-life care.
• Analysis of the adjustment and adaptation processes for healthcare professionals.

Main Results:

• Six developmental stages identified for healthcare professionals' comfort in managing terminal illnesses.
• The Harper Schematic provides a structured approach to professional growth in palliative care.
• Professionals must confront their own mortality to effectively support dying patients and families.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare professionals need a structured approach to develop emotional and psychological resilience for end-of-life care.
• The proposed six-stage model facilitates professional adaptation and comfort in caring for the terminally ill.
• Integrating this developmental framework enhances the humanistic aspect of healthcare delivery.