How to talk about dying? The development of an evidence-based model for communication with patients in their last days of life and their family caregivers.

Objective: To help healthcare professionals (HCP) act with more confidence when communicating about approaching death, we sought to develop a communication model for HCP to facilitate conversations with dying patients and family caregivers (FC) in nonemergency situations.

Methods: We used a four-phase integrative approach: (1) creation of a preliminary model based on a systematic literature review and expert knowledge, (2) review of the model draft by international palliative care experts, (3) review by key stakeholders, and (4) final appraisal by communication experts.

Results: After the clinical recognition of dying, the communication model provides a structure and practical communication aids for navigating the conversation based on three phases.

Talking about dying and death: Essentials of communicating about approaching death from the perspective of major stakeholders.

Objectives: Although caring for dying patients and their family caregivers (FC) is integral to patient care, training in communication about approaching death is almost inexistent in medical and nursing curricula. Consequently, many health professionals have insufficient knowledge about conducting these conversations. In order to gain a broader insight into essential aspects of this communication from different perspectives, we conducted focus groups with key stakeholders.

[Compassionate Cities: Strengthening Social Resources in Communities for Mutual Support at the End of Life].

Compassionate Cities: Strengthening Social Resources in Communities for Mutual Support at the End of Life People at the end of life often wish to remain at home for as long as possible. To make this possible to a greater extent, not only health professionals who accompany those affected and their relatives are needed, but also educational programmes to strengthen health literacy at the end of life. Within the framework of the project "Compassionate City Lab of the Bernese People", experiences in dealing with the end of life were collected and published, and a course on advance care planning for elderly people was developed.

[Anticipation at the end of life - a critical appraisal for the clinical practice].

Anticipation at the end of life - a critical appraisal for the clinical practice Abstract. Advance planning or anticipation in health care is based on prognosis, and that is no more (and no less) than dealing with probabilities. Knowledge about prognostic factors in medicine is needed here, and competencies how to communicate it.

Invasive findings in patients with angina equivalent symptoms but no coronary artery disease; results from the heart quest cohort study.

Background: The cause of angina in patients presenting at coronary angiography without significant coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been systematically assessed in a large prospective cohort. This study is aimed to identify the cause of angina in these patients.

Methods: This prospective cohort comprised 718 consecutive patients with angina equivalent symptoms and no CAD (defined as no coronary stenosis ≥ 50%) between January 1st 1997 and July 31st 2008.