Providing family care in hospital

Using the delphi technique, this study aimed to identify supportive nursing behaviours and some factors that inhibit the effective provision of family-centred palliative care in a hospital. Supportive nursing behaviours were identified and priority was given to the issues of symptom control, privacy, time and communication. Factors that hinder effective provision of family care focused mainly on the problems involved in balancing priorities, issues of disclosure and managing family conflict. The findings identified key areas of family-centred palliative care that warrant further investigation.