Nobody Should Die Alone. Loneliness and a Dignified Death During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hernández-Fernández, C.; Falcón, Carmen Meneses

doi:10.1177/00302228211048316

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This current study also found that the highest impact on ICU staff resulted from the fact that patients died alone. This finding is also shown in other studies which report that this fact lacked the desired dignity, and the burden was higher for relatives even though ICU staff did their best to accompany and dignify death 32 33…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

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COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study with an opportunity-centric approach from an ICU perspective in a teaching hospital. Upsides worth to secure?

et al. 2023

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ObjectivesDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff in the intensive care unit (ICU) was materially, physically and emotionally challenged. This qualitative study investigated the effects that ICU staff experienced and were considered of value to be permanently implemented.SettingICU in an university medical centre during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignAn opportunity-centric approach was applied in individual semi-structured interviews to optimise the achieved results and was guided by the theoretical model of appreciative inquiry (AI).ParticipantsFifteen ICU staff members (8 nurses and 7 intensivists) participated.ResultsWorking during the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed interprofessional collaboration and team learning in the ICU on an individual and team level, centred around a common goal: taking care of critically ill patients with COVID-19. The effect of interprofessional collaboration was that provisions were taken care of quicker than usual, without bureaucratic delays. However, this effect was experienced to be transient. Also, ICU staff perceived limited possibilities to help patients and families around the palliative phase, and they perceived a lack of appreciation from higher management. This is a point of future attention: how to make this perceived lack of appreciation more visible to all (ICU) staff.ConclusionRegarding our primary question, the ICU staff voiced that the direct communication and collaboration are the most important elements of the COVID-19 peak they would like to preserve. Furthermore, it was learnt that consolation and support for family members should not be forgotten. Considering the results, we believe that further research concerning team reflexivity might contribute to (or enhance) our knowledge about working together during and after a crisis.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…This finding is also shown in other studies which report that this fact lacked the desired dignity, and the burden was higher for relatives even though ICU staff did their best to accompany and dignify death. 32 33 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study with an opportunity-centric approach from an ICU perspective in a teaching hospital. Upsides worth to secure?

et al. 2023

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“…The COVID-19 pandemic altered processes related to care of dying patients and subsequent death. Hernández-Fernández and Meneses-Falcón 9 conducted a qualitative, phenomenological study between March and May 2020 in Spain that included a variety of professionals (N = 34), including hospital and emergency room nurses, informants, and relatives. The major theme was that dying alone is not considered a good death and has social significance.…”

Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Veterans Affairs Nurses' Perception of a Dignified Death

Fowler

2023

J Hosp Palliat Nurs

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A dignified death is described as a good death or dying with dignity. Nurses caring for veterans are aware of the honor veterans can receive at the time of death. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare perceptions of a dignified death in nurses who care for veterans in Veterans Affairs settings. This descriptive, exploratory design used an online survey including scales of dying with dignity and a good death. Subjects were nurses who worked at Veterans Affairs facilities. Dying with dignity scores were high and moderately high for a good death. Good death items of wishes, peace, spirituality, and pain free were considered essential by most nurses. There was no difference in scores based on age or end-of-life experiences. Veterans Affairs nurses had a good perception of a dignified death providing a foundation for veteran support before, during, and after death.

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“…Healthcare providers, globally, have struggled to safeguard the dignity of the sick and dying, which is one of the most important goals of end-of-life care. 18 During the webinar, speakers noted that limited visitation hours due to public health restrictions, the absence of loved ones at the time of death, and obstructed communication through layers of personal protective equipment (PPE) have led to patients dying in seclusion, thereby undermining their sense of dignity and increasing depersonalization. 19 Zambrano Hellion Hospital in Mexico, at the height of the pandemic, survival was often prioritized over humanity.…”

Section: Dignitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Same storm, different boat: The global impact of COVID‐19 on palliative care

et al. 2022

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The COVID‐19 pandemic has had a complex and profound impact on the provision of palliative care globally. To support learning from palliative care providers and researchers worldwide, the Education Subcommittee of International Psycho‐Oncology Society (IPOS) Palliative Care Special Interest Group developed a webinar with presentations by and discussion with eight international palliative care leaders. Presentations were content rich; the speakers used both quantitative (e.g., sharing recent statistical findings) and qualitative (e.g., narrative storytelling, anecdotal experiences) approaches to portray the effect of COVID‐19 in their region. Subsequent to the webinar, the committee collectively identified five themes conveyed by the presenters through consensus. The themes included: 1) altered accessibility to palliative care, with socio‐economic status impacting virtual health availability; 2) reduced opportunities to preserve dignity, as survival has been prioritized over preserving the humanity of patients and their loved ones; 3) complicated grief and bereavement arising from social distancing requirements; 4) greater awareness of the importance of sustaining health provider well‐being; and 5) the development of valuable innovations across nations, institutions, disciplines, and communities. Overall, the webinar facilitated valuable connection for global learning and identified opportunities for research and clinical interventions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Nobody Should Die Alone. Loneliness and a Dignified Death During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cited by 10 publications

References 28 publications

COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study with an opportunity-centric approach from an ICU perspective in a teaching hospital. Upsides worth to secure?

COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study with an opportunity-centric approach from an ICU perspective in a teaching hospital. Upsides worth to secure?

Veterans Affairs Nurses' Perception of a Dignified Death

Same storm, different boat: The global impact of COVID‐19 on palliative care

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