Web-Based Post-Bereavement Survey System in Specialized Palliative Care: A Feasibility Pilot Study.

Web-based post-bereavement survey systems for specialized palliative care will enable obtaining timely results on the care quality from more participants at a lower cost. The primary aim of the study was to develop a web-based post-bereavement survey system and to compare response rates for different number of items. The secondary aim was to examine response bias between web-based and mail survey in post-bereavement surveys.

Work environmental factors associated with compassion satisfaction and end-of-life care quality among nurses in general wards, palliative care units, and home care settings: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Nurses providing end-of-life care experience not only burnout and compassion fatigue, but also positive effects such as compassion satisfaction. Nurses' compassion satisfaction was shown to be related to job satisfaction, work engagement, and nurse caring. Studies in emergency departments, intensive care units, oncology wards, and general wards have identified work environmental factors associated with nurses' compassion satisfaction, but no similar studies have been conducted in palliative care units or home care settings.

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Quality of Life Index for patients with cancer.

This study was designed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly completed Japanese translation of the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index Cancer Version III (QLI). Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, 136 ambulatory patients with gastrointestinal cancer (55 receiving chemotherapy, 76 with stable health status after treatment, and five status not known) completed a questionnaire at a one-time point, and 26 patients (stable health status) completed the questionnaire again 2 weeks later. Internal consistency reliability was supported by Cronbach's α of .

Achievement of a good death among young adult patients with cancer: analyses of combined data from three nationwide surveys among bereaved family members.

Purpose: Although little improvement has been made in the survival rate among young cancer patients over recent decades, whether they have achieved a good death has never been systematically explored. We aimed to clarify whether young cancer patients (aged 20-39 years) have achieved a good death, and compare their achievement with that of middle-aged patients (aged 40-64 years).

Methods: We analyzed combined data of three nationwide, cross-sectional surveys of families of cancer patients who died at inpatient hospices in Japan (2007-2014).

Progressive development and enhancement of palliative care services in Japan: nationwide surveys of designated cancer care hospitals for three consecutive years.

Context: Policymaking plays an important role in national palliative care services. The Japanese Cancer Control Act was implemented in 2006.

Objectives: To evaluate changes in the structure and processes of palliative care services after implementation of the Cancer Control Act.

One-year follow-up of an educational intervention for palliative care consultation teams.

Objective: This study explored how an educational intervention affects interdisciplinary palliative care consultation teams.

Methods: A pre-post questionnaire survey conducted before the intervention, as well as immediately, 3, 6 and 12 months later. The outcome measurements were behavior (four domains-17 items) and confidence (one domain-6 items).

Multiple evaluation of a hospital-based palliative care consultation team in a university hospital: activities, patient outcome, and referring staff's view.

Objective: Although the number of hospital-based palliative care consultation teams (PCCTs) is rapidly increasing in Japan, there is limited information available concerning the activities and usefulness of PCCT in the country. The aim of this study is to clarify the activities, patient outcome, and referring staff's view of an established PCCT in Japan.

Method: This was a prospective study to follow patients referred to a PCCT for 28 days over a 1-year period.

Development of a standard for hospital-based palliative care consultation teams using a modified Delphi method.

Although palliative care consultation teams are rapidly being disseminated throughout Japan as a result of government policy, the role of these teams has not been standardized. The aim of this study was to develop a hospital-based palliative care consultation team standard. We adopted a modified Delphi method to develop a standard.

Discharge from a palliative care unit: prevalence and related factors from a retrospective study in Japan.

Purpose: Selecting a place for end-of-life care is an important issue for patients with cancer. In this study we conducted a retrospective analysis on the prevalence of discharge from a palliative care unit (PCU) and explored factors related to discharge based on individual-level data from 5 years of experience at the Tokyo Metropolitan Toshima Hospital PCU.

Methods: We retrospectively collected information on patients and families from the admission database of the PCU.

Nursing autonomy plays an important role in nurses' attitudes toward caring for dying patients.

The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship of nursing autonomy and other factors related to attitudes toward caring for dying patients. A cross-sectional survey of nurses was conducted in November 2003 using a self-administered questionnaire. We collected demographic data from 178 (75%) participants and used the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying scale, Form B, Japanese version (FATCOD-Form B-J), the Pankratz Nursing Questionnaire (PNQ), and the Death Attitude Inventory (DAI).

The current status of palliative care teams in Japanese university hospitals: a nationwide questionnaire survey.

Goal: Although the importance of the palliative care team (PCT) to university hospitals is widely accepted, the issues of palliative care at the national level have not been clarified. We conducted a nationwide survey of the current status of PCTs in all (123) Japanese university hospitals.

Materials And Methods: In 2003, 2004 and 2005, the authors conducted a self-reporting cross-sectional survey.

Pain management and related factors in advanced cancer patients who initiated opioid therapy in an outpatient setting.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the state of pain management in Japanese patients with advanced cancer who initiated opioid therapy in an outpatient setting.

Methods: Interview surveys using questionnaires were conducted and medical records were reviewed. Pain relief was defined as >33% decrease in worst pain intensity score, and significance of early pain relief was investigated in terms of changing self-efficacy for activities of daily living (ADL).

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Support Team Assessment Schedule (STAS-J).

Objective: The aim of this project was to develop an appropriate and valid instrument for assessment by medical professionals in Japanese palliative care settings.

Methods: We developed a Japanese version of the Support Team Assessment Schedule (STAS-J), using a back translation method, and tested its reliability and validity. In the reliability study, 16 nurses and a physician who work in a palliative care unit evaluated 10 hypothetical cases twice at 3-month intervals.

Factors associated with difficulties encountered by nurses in the care of terminally ill cancer patients in hospitals in Japan.

Objective: To identify the factors associated with difficulties encountered by nurses working in general wards in hospitals in Japan.

Methods: Questionnaires including items regarding difficulties in providing care to terminally ill cancer patients, the existence of a mentor regarding end-of-life issues, awareness of end-of-life issues, and demographic factors were administered to 375 staff nurses working in general in-patient wards. Multivariate regression analyses were employed to investigate correlations between factors.

Difficulties encountered by nurses in the care of terminally ill cancer patients in general hospitals in Japan.

The aim of this study was to investigate the difficulties encountered by nurses who have cared for terminally ill cancer patients at general hospitals. To collect data, a survey by questionnaire was self-administered. The respondents were 375 nurses and the response rate was 70.