title: Staff and family relationships in end-of-life nursing home care.
abstract: This article examines the involvement of residents and their relatives in end-of-life decisions and care in Norwegian nursing homes. It also explores challenges in these staff-family relationships. The article is based on a nationwide survey examining Norwegian nursing homes' end-of-life care at ward level. Only a minority of the participant Norwegian nursing home wards 'usually' explore residents' preferences for care and treatment at the end of their life, and few have written procedures on the involvement of family caregivers when their relative is in the terminal phase. According to the respondents, most staff seem to comfort relatives well. However, several challenges were described. The study revealed a need for better procedures in the involvement of residents and relatives in nursing home end-of-life care. The findings emphasize a need to strengthen both the involvement of nursing home physicians and staff communication skills.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Box 1130 Blindern, N-0318 Oslo, Norway. elisabeth.gjerberg@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gjerberg
authors.forename: Reidun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Førde
authors.forename: Arild
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bjørndal
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D009664:Norway; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011361:Professional Competence; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*