A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies that investigate the emotional experiences of staff working in homeless settings.

Homelessness is a pervasive issue in society, and government policies have highlighted the need to focus on the experience of front-line staff in homelessness settings. The aim of this meta-synthesis was to draw together the available research to further understanding of the experiences of staff working with homeless people. A systematic search was conducted across four electronic databases (ASSIA, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts and Web of Science) from the date of their inception.

Training and supportive programs for palliative care volunteers in community settings.

Background: Palliative care is specialised health care to support people living with a terminal illness and their families. The involvement of volunteers can extend the range of activities offered by palliative care services, particularly for those living in the community. Activities undertaken by palliative care volunteers vary considerably but can be practical, social or emotional in nature.

Emergency and palliative care nurses' levels of anxiety about death and coping with death: a questionnaire survey.

Background: Caring for dying patients and their families presents many challenges, and may be negatively affected by nurses' Fear of Death. This study investigates attitudes of emergency and palliative care nurses towards death and dying.

Methods: A mixed methods design including questionnaire and interview, was utilised.

Is work stress in palliative care nurses a cause for concern? A literature review.

Unlabelled: Palliative care nurses are at risk of work stress because their role involves exposure to frequent deaths and family grieving. Little is known about their degree of stress or whether they suffer stress or burnout more than nurses in other disciplines.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to critically examine the current literature concerning stress and burnout in palliative care nurses.

The environment of inpatient healthcare delivery and its influence on the outcome of care.

Aim: This paper addresses issues arising in the literature regarding the environmental design of inpatient healthcare settings and their impact on care.

Background: Environmental design in healthcare settings is an important feature of the holistic delivery of healthcare. The environmental influence of the delivery of care is manifested by such things as lighting, proximity to bedside, technology, family involvement, and space.

A case study approach to investigating end-of-life decision making in an acute health service.

Aim: To identify end-of-life (EOL) decision making processes for patients with non-cancer illnesses in a major metropolitan hospital.

Methods: A retrospective review using a case study framework of 47 randomly selected patient records over a 6-month period explored issues in EOL care planning.

Results: Reviewed charts represented 53% of total deaths in the study period.

Nurse-family interaction in Malaysian palliative care settings: a focused literature review.

Background: Palliative care in Malaysia developed in the 1990s to improve the quality of life of people with advanced cancer. Like many other countries, Malaysia faces its own challenges in providing palliative care to patients and their families. In Malaysian culture, families play a significant part in providing care to the dying.

A statewide review of postnatal care in private hospitals in Victoria, Australia.

Background: Concerns have been raised in Australia and internationally regarding the quality and effectiveness of hospital postnatal care, although Australian women receiving postnatal care in the private maternity sector rate their satisfaction with care more highly than women receiving public maternity care. In Victoria, Australia, two-thirds of women receive their maternity care in the public sector and the remainder in private health care sector. A statewide review of public hospital postnatal care in Victoria from the perspective of care providers found many barriers to care provision including the busyness of postnatal wards, inadequate staffing and priority being given to other episodes of care; however the study did not include private hospitals.

Palliative care nurse consultants in Melbourne: a snapshot of their clinical role.

Aim: The current role of the palliative care nurse consultant (PCNC) is as diverse as the organisations in which such nurses work. This study reports on Phase 2 of a larger study in Melbourne, Australia, which focused particularly on describing some of the clinical aspects of the work of the PCNC in the acute hospital setting.

Design: A cross-sectional survey was used to describe the selected clinical activities of the PCNC.

Quality of life of cancer patients receiving inpatient and home-based palliative care.

Aims: This paper reports a comparative study of the symptom experience, physical and psychological health, perceived control of the effects of cancer and quality of life of terminally ill cancer patients receiving inpatient and home-based palliative care, and the factors that predict quality of life.

Background: Quality of life is a major goal in the care of patients with terminal cancer. In addition to symptom management, psychological care and provision of support, being cared for at home is considered an important determinant of patient well-being.

Palliative care work, between death and discharge.

This paper discusses a small study that was undertaken in a palliative care unit (PCU) to demonstrate reasons for the lengthy patient turnover time after the death of a patient. The study arose from a managerial challenge about the PCU's efficiency in comparison to other settings of care. While palliative care services in Australia are loosely funded on a per diem rate, casemix funding models for inpatient services in other settings reward efficiency in terms of length of stay (1).