A qualitative study of doctors' and nurses' barriers to communicating with seriously ill patients about their dependent children

Abstract

Our study indicates (1) the need to use templates and manual procedures to gather and process information about children in medical records; (2) the need for managerial backing for addressing children of seriously ill patients and time spent on it; and (3) the need for future HP training programmes to include how to implement procedures and how to address all barriers.

Disrupted biographies and balancing identities: A qualitative study of cancer patients’ communication with healthcare professionals about dependent children

“…Patients also have their individual preferences—some wanting healthcare professionals’ advice as how to inform their children about their illness, others not wanting to discuss problems concerning their children. Therefore, discussing patients’ children is not only about identifying healthcare professionals’ barriers and how to overcome them (Dencker et al, ; Turner et al, ). We suggest that it is also about identifying patients’ preferences and needs being aware of patients’ different identities and the dynamics between them.…”

“…This qualitative study was part of a larger study of the interaction of healthcare professionals with seriously ill patients about patients' dependent children, including 49 interviews with doctors and nurses, 15 patient interviews and 27 days of participant observations within haematology, gynaecological oncology and neuro-intensive care (Dencker et al, 2017). This paper focuses on patients' experiences and is based on the interviews with patients and on participant observations, including observations of encounters between patients and healthcare professionals.…”

“…Guidelines and manuals have been developed in order to clarify the healthcare professionals' tasks and roles in accomplishing this. Previously, dependent children have featured little either in practice or in official documents (Dencker et al, 2017).…”

“…Research shows that healthcare professionals seldom address patients' concerns and uncertainties regarding their dependent children. They feel inhibited by a lack of professional confidence, by inadequate knowledge of means to help parents support their children, by fear of being emotionally overwhelmed and by a lack of organisational support (Dencker, Rix, Bøge, & Tjørnhøj-Thomsen, 2017;Dunne, Sullivan, & Kernohan, 2005;Odling, Norberg, & Danielson, 2002;Turner et al, 2007Turner et al, , 2008.…”

Moving toward the next generation of communication training in oncology: The relevance of findings from qualitative research

“…Structural barriers also exist, as identified by Dencker, Rix, Bøge, and Tjørnhøj‐Thomsen (), investigating communication with seriously ill patients about their dependent children. They indeed found that elements such as “lack of space in the medical record system, professional code, time pressure, and lack of training” constitute significant barriers.…”