Compassionate silence in the patient-clinician encounter: a contemplative approach.

In trying to improve clinician communication skills, we have often heard clinicians at every level admonished to "use silence," as if refraining from talking will improve dialogue. Yet we have also noticed that this "just do it," behavior-focused "use" of silence creates a new, different problem: the clinician looks uncomfortable using silence, and worse, generates a palpable atmosphere of unease that feels burdensome to both the patient and clinician. We think that clinicians are largely responsible for the effect of silence in a clinical encounter, and in this article we discuss what makes silence enriching--enabling a kind of communication between clinician and patient that fosters healing.

Mindfulness meditation for oncology patients: a discussion and critical review.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this article is to (1) provide a comprehensive over view and discussion of mindfulness meditation and its clinical applicability in oncology and (2) report and critically evaluate the existing and emerging research on mindfulness meditation as an intervention for cancer patients. Using relevant keywords, a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and Ovid was completed along with a review of published abstracts from the annual conferences sponsored by the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society and the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. Each article and abstract was critiqued and systematically assessed for purpose statement or research questions,

Study Design: The search produced 9 research articles published in the past 5 years and 5 conference abstracts published in 2004.

Psycho-spiritual well-being in patients with advanced cancer: an integrative review of the literature.

Purpose: An integrative literature review was undertaken to examine the research on psycho-spiritual well-being in terminally ill people, specifically patients with advanced cancer.

Method: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, CancerLit and PsycINFO using relevant keywords produced 43 primary research studies that investigated psycho-spiritual well-being in patients with advanced cancer. Each report was read, critiqued and systematically assessed for purpose statement or research questions, study design, sample size, characteristics of the subjects, measurement of independent and dependent variables, sample attrition, method of data analysis and results.

Dehydration in terminally ill patients. Perceptions of long-term care nurses.

Dehydration in terminally ill patients has been found to be beneficial and to improve the quality of an individual's last few days of life. As the population continues to age, more individuals are cared for in long-term care (LTC) facilities, where they tend to spend their final days. Previous studies have examined the perceptions and attitudes of hospice nurses, acute care nurses, physicians, and caregivers; however, no such studies have evaluated LTC nurses.

Psychoneuroimmunology. Part II: Mind-body interventions.

PNI provides the scientific foundation of several integrative therapies. PNI interventions or mind-body therapies can be categorized into four general mechanisms: sensory, cognitive, expressive, and physical. Some therapies are used in combination, and others incorporate more than one mechanism.

Expressive disclosure and health outcomes in a prostate cancer population.

Objective: This pilot study explored the feasibility and the efficacy of a brief, well-defined psychosocial intervention (expressive disclosure) in improving behavioral, medical, immunological, and emotional health outcomes in men with diagnosed prostate cancer.

Method: Thirty prostate cancer patients receiving outpatient oncology care were randomized into experimental (disclosure) and control (non-disclosure) groups. All had been previously treated by surgery or radiation within the last 4 years and were being monitored without further intervention for change in PSA levels.