Delivering After-hours Palliative Care: A Partnership Model in Rural Australia

What is it about?

This article explores rural bereaved carers experiences of a model of care providing after-hours palliative care support and daily personal care and respite for patients dying at home. These services were provided in a unique collaborative partnership between a specialist public health community palliative care nursing service and a non-government organisation. Using interviews with ten bereaved carers, this study examines how carers experienced reassurance at having access to the specialist palliative care service during the day, a registered nurse after-hours and a nursing assistant to assist with personal cares and respite. The study highlights how collaboration and communication between the carer and both services assisted carers to keep dying loved ones at home.

Featured Image

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Supporting patients in their choice to die at home is important for patients and carers and also reduces the pressure on public hospital resources. Partnering with non-government organisations to provide round the clock palliative support helps build capacity to extend services and enhance patient and carer outcomes, particularly in rural areas where resources are limited.