Survey on the Accompanying Experience of Palliative Hospice Volunteers in Peking Union Medical College Hospital / 中国医学科学院学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the experience of accompanying dying patients among hospice and palliative care (HPC) volunteers. Methods By applying the methodologies of phenomenological research and participatory observation,the experiences,awareness,and expectations of accompanying dying patients of 10 volunteers in our center were investigated. Results The experiences of 10 volunteers in HPC could be summarized into three subjects:volunteer personal cognition,volunteer demand and family support,and volunteers' expectations of hospital and society. These could be further divided into 6 sub-themes regarding the personal cognition and feelings of the volunteersunknown,hostile,suspicious,helpless,role positioning,and passing the message of illness. Three sub-themes associated with individual needs and family support wereself motivation,family ties,and family support. Five sub-themes concerning volunteers' expectations for hospitals and society wereconfusion of concept,lack of palliative idea,reach-out service,humanistic care,and adoption of palliative concept. Conclusion sHPC team should widely promote the concept of HPC,seeking supports from individuals,families,and the whole society. A strong volunteer team with robust volunteer service mode and standardized admittance,training,and supervision systems are needed. In particular,strengthened supervision and training of HPC volunteers and standard volunteer system are conducive to the improvement of HPC services in hospitals.