The evaluation of an end-of-life integrated care pathway.
OBJECTIVE
this evaluation set out to examine the needs of staff as they adopted an end-of-life integrated Care Pathway (ICP), and its impact on both service users and providers.


METHODS
semi-structured interviews were conducted with palliative care specialists, other health care professionals and bereaved carers.


RESULTS
the challenges encountered revolved around the multitude of settings, and professionals involved; around the diagnosing of dying; communication with patients and the provision of emotional or spiritual support. Ongoing challenges at the end of the evaluation were those of addressing spirituality and some of the established practices. However, there was general consensus that the ICP facilitated greater consistency of care, improved continuity, and ensured a proactive rather than a reactive approach to care. All these were recognised and appreciated by bereaved carers.


CONCLUSIONS
end of life is now every health care professional's business and this may have the potential to raise the place of palliative care in general on the professional agenda.
Lhussier
Monique
M
Community Health and Education Studies (CHESs), Research Centre, Coach Lane Campus East (H012), Coach Lane, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7XA, UK. monique.lhussier@unn.ac.uk
Carr
Susan M
SM
Wilcockson
Jane
J
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001601:Bereavement; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004739:England; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024382:Professional Role; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012944:Social Support; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires