Utilising feedback from patients and their families as a learning strategy in a Foundation Degree in palliative and supportive care: a qualitative study.

Background: In the UK, support workers provide much of the care that palliative care patients receive, and a novel Foundation Degree was developed to enhance their skills. Feedback on performance is a recognised educational tool that reinforces good practice, and gives insight into areas of weakness, but its use with this workforce has not been described.

Aim: The aim of this qualitative study is to explore tutor and support workers' experiences of seeking and receiving feedback from patients and their families; focusing on its values and challenges.

Influences on the decision to prescribe or administer anticholinergic drugs to treat death rattle: a focus group study.

Background: The evidence supporting pharmacological treatment of death rattle is poor; yet, anticholinergic drugs feature in end-of-life care pathways and guidelines worldwide as a treatment option.

Aim: This qualitative arm of a wider study aimed to explore important issues which health-care professionals associated with decision-making to prescribe or administer anticholinergics at the end of life.

Design: After purposive sampling, five focus groups were conducted.