Objectives: Existing literature suggests multiple potential roles for community health volunteers (CHVs) in the provision of palliative care (PC) in low- and middle-income countries. In Kenya the role of CHV in the provision of PC has not been reported. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, confidence, attitude, and clinical practice of community health volunteers after attending a novel palliative care (PC) training program.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Most people living with life-limiting illnesses in Kenya lack access to palliative care. Globally, palliative medicine is a growing specialty that equips clinicians with the training required to improve the quality of life for people living with a wide variety of serious illnesses. Optimal delivery relies on a skilled workforce with specialty-level training, and we identified the absence of board-accredited training programs for clinical officers (COs) and physicians as a barrier to providing high-quality palliative care in Kenya.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this consensus paper was to convene leaders and scholars from eight Expert Panels of the American Academy of Nursing and provide recommendations to advance nursing's roles and responsibility to ensure universal access to palliative care. Part I of this consensus paper herein provides the rationale and background to support the policy, education, research, and clinical practice recommendations put forward in Part II. On behalf of the Academy, the evidence-based recommendations will guide nurses, policy makers, government representatives, professional associations, and interdisciplinary and community partners to integrate palliative nursing services across health and social care settings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: Breast cancer in Kenya is associated with a high mortality due to late stage disease at presentation and limited access to specialty care.
Objectives: To understand the symptom burden in breast cancer patients entering hospice in Western Kenya and utilize the data to meet the growing need for palliative care and hospice services.
Methods: We conducted a quality improvement exercise to assess the needs of Kenyan women admitted to inpatient hospice with the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Context: Palliative care access is fundamental to the highest attainable standard of health and a core component of universal health coverage. Forging universal palliative care access is insurmountable without strategically optimizing the nursing workforce and integrating palliative nursing into health systems at all levels. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored both the critical need for accessible palliative care to alleviate serious health-related suffering and the key role of nurses to achieve this goal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally and a significant health burden in Kenya. Despite improved outcomes in CVD, palliative care has limited implementation for CVD in low-income and middle-income countries. This may be partly because of providers' perceptions of palliative care and end-of-life decision making for patients with CVD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAsia Pac J Oncol Nurs
January 2017
Cancer is the third highest cause of death in Kenya, preceded by infectious and cardiovascular diseases, and in most cases, diagnosed in later stages. Nurses are the primary caregivers, assessing and managing these patients in the clinic, in inpatient settings, and in rural and remote communities. While cancer rates remain high, the burden to the patient, the caregiver, and society as a whole continues to rise.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study explored palliative care provider self-competence and priorities for future education in an inpatient hospice setting in Kenya. Self-competence scores for clinical skills and patient and family communication skills were hypothesized to differ according to provider type. A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was piloted at Kimbilio Hospice, a 26-bed rural, inpatient facility in Kenya.
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