What makes the palliative care initial encounter meaningful? A descriptive study with patients with cancer, family carers and palliative care professionals.

Abstract

The palliative care initial encounter can have a positive impact on the quality of life of patients and family carers if it proves to be a meaningful experience. A better understanding of what makes the encounter meaningful would reinforce the provision of person-centred, quality palliative care. To explore the expectations that patients with cancer, family carers and palliative care professionals have of this initial encounter. Qualitative descriptive study with content analysis of transcripts from 60 semi-structured interviews. Twenty patients with cancer, 20 family carers and 20 palliative care professionals from 10 institutions across Spain. Four themes were developed from the analysis of interviews: (1) the initial encounter as an opportunity to understand what palliative care entails; (2) individualised care; (3) professional commitment to the patient and family carers: present and future; and (4) acknowledgement. The initial encounter becomes meaningful when it facilitates a shared understanding of what palliative care entails and acknowledgement of the needs and/or roles of patients with cancer, family carers and professionals. Further studies are required to explore how a perception of acknowledgement may best be fostered in the initial encounter.