Supporting in an existential crisis: A mixed-methods evaluation of a training model in palliative care.

Background: Palliative care staff often report that they lack the skills and confidence to provide support during an existential crisis. Consequently, there is a definite need for a training program in this area.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate whether a training model could give palliative care staff increased knowledge, awareness, and preparedness-all useful tools for providing support.

Coping strategies in the presence of one's own impending death from cancer.

An incurable cancer is a threat to life itself. This study focused on how native-born Swedes, who define themselves as nonreligious, actually reflect and act when they try to create helpful strategies in the presence of their own impending deaths and how the strategies serve their purposes. Twenty patients were interviewed in depth.

Dying cancer patients' experiences of powerlessness and helplessness.

Goals Of Work: Experiences of powerlessness and helplessness are closely linked to incurable diseases but seldom studied in patients with disseminated cancer. The aim is to explore the perception, experiences and significance of powerlessness and helplessness, to study triggering factors and to make quantifications.

Materials And Methods: One hundred three patients, enrolled in four different palliative home-care settings, completed a questionnaire with both Likert-type questions and open-ended questions.

Existential loneliness in a palliative home care setting.

Background: The diagnosis of an incurable disease implies an existential crisis. This study focused on the emotions, perceptions, and experiences of existential isolation in palliative patients with cancer and their families.

Materials And Methods: A total of 40 respondents (20 patients and 20 family members) were interviewed in depth.