No abstract

Objectives: Palliative care research is relatively diverse and prioritizing research in this field is dependent on multiple factors such as complex ethical decisions in designing and conducting the research; access to participants who may be deemed "vulnerable" and an increasingly medically focused approach to care. The aim of this study was to inform organizational decision-making and policy development regarding future research priorities for a hospice service in New Zealand.Methods: A modified three-round Delphi technique was employed. Participants were drawn from one dedicated specialist palliative care service that delivers care in the community, daycare, hospice inpatient, aged residential care, and acute hospital palliative care service. A purposive sample included palliative care staff (n ¼ 10, 18, 9, for rounds 1-3, respectively) volunteers (n ¼ 10, 12, 11); and patients and family carers (n ¼ 6, 8, for rounds 1 and 2). Patients and family carers were not involved in the third round.Results: At final ranking of six research themes encompassing 23 research topics were identified by staff and volunteers. These were: symptom management; aged care; education; community; patient and family; and bereavement support and young people. Patients and family carers agreed on four themes, made up of 10 research topics. These were: decision-making, bereavement and loss, symptom management; and recognition of need and response of service.Significance of results : The study generated a rich set of research themes and specific research topics. The perspectives of staff and volunteers are significantly different from those of patients and family members, in spite of the recognition by all concerned that palliative care services work within a philosophy of patient-centered care. Open discussion of ideas has the potential to engage both staff and patients and carers in quality improvement initiatives, and to reinforce the value of research for patient care.

It is evident that the ED is not the ideal setting for managing patients with chronic pain however it is the last resort for many who do present, and who will continue to present should their pain persist. It is time to ensure that the ED provides a consistently supportive, cohesive and integrated approach to managing patients with chronic pain syndromes.

Findings carry implications for emergency department care of people who present on multiple occasions and for emergency department health professionals to increase awareness of their moral comportment in care.

Designated Maori health service providers and specialised Maori nursing roles using "culturally appropriate" practices have been developed in New Zealand to address health disparities between Maori and non-Maori citizens. This study considers the effectiveness, from several perspectives, of a Maori nurse-led diabetes programme offered by Te Hauora O Ngati Rarua. It also identifies salient features of the experience of having diabetes and being on the programme, which consists of the combination of a six week course of group education sessions with one-to-one case management, involving health care, education and support.Programme evaluation was conducted using an embedded case study design. Seven programme participants were followed for 9-12 months, during which time multiple sources of data were accessed, including programme documents, clinical notes, laboratory results and stakeholder interviews. Client outcomes were measured in terms of physiological measures, knowledge acquisition, diabetes management and lifestyle behaviour. Some participants demonstrated improved diabetes management and lifestyle behaviour while actively engaged with the programme, but efforts tended to lapse once support was reduced. This highlighted the importance of optimising the level of long-term self-management support for clients with diabetes. High levels of co-morbidity were common and tended to complicate management. The Transtheoretical Model of Change, Chronic Care Model and Systems Theory shaped the evaluation.The study makes four important contributions to knowledge in this area: 1) it confirms the importance of Maori values and processes in "by Maori for Maori" services as they help to keep clients engaged, 2) it describes how small Maori health providers meet the needs of the local community, and 3) it identifies the value of the Maori Diabetes Nurse Educator (MDNE) role in primary health care.Thus it serves as an affirmation of the importance of the Maori Health Strategy and Maori self-determination in organising and delivering health care for Maori clients. The fourth valuable contribution is the insight gained into the dynamics of Pakeha researchers working in partnership with Maori organisations.