A terminal care support team in a Paris university hospital: care providers' views.
OBJECTIVE
Following three years of a terminal care support team (TCST) activity: (a) to describe current management of terminally ill patients from the care providers' viewpoint, (b) to compare the views of head nurses and physicians about this management, and (c) to identify ways of further improving palliative care.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to all head nurses and physicians of the hospital.


RESULTS
Care-providers consider that the TCST provides therapeutic counselling, training, and psychological help to patients, staff, and families. Few care providers were reluctant to request advice in the management of their patients. Most were satisfied with the partnership with the TCST and deemed it effective. Further improvements suggested for terminally ill patient care included greater assistance from the TCST, especially for nurses, and expanding TCST activities to outpatient management and home care programs.


CONCLUSIONS
Health care providers consider the implementation of the TCST to have been successful.
Salomon
L
L
Department of Public Health, CHU Cochin-Port Royal, René Descartes University, Paris, France.
Belouet
C
C
Vinant-Binam
P
P
Sicard
D
D
Vidal-Trécan
G
G
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D020380:Needs Assessment; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010297:Paris; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016526:Workload