Family caregivers' experiences of end-of-life care in the acute hospital setting. A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND Acute hospital settings are generally not considered adequate places for end-of-life care, but terminally ill patients will continue to die in acute medical wards in the unforeseeable future. AIM The aim of this study was to investigate family caregivers' experiences of end-of-life care in an acute community hospital in Iceland. METHODS Fifteen in-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who had been primary caregivers. The transcribed interviews were analysed using thematic content analysis. FINDINGS Findings indicated that the acute hospital setting is not a suitable environment for end-of-life care. Effective communication and management of symptoms characterised by warmth and security give a sense of resilience. Three main themes emerged: (1) Environmental influences on quality of care; (2) Communication in end-of-life care; (3) The dying process. Each of the themes encompassed a variety of subthemes. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that effective communication is the cornerstone of quality of care in the acute hospital environment and essential for establishing a sense of security. The severity of symptoms can deeply affect family caregivers' well-being. Acknowledging and appreciating the meaning of respect and dignity at the end-of-life from family caregivers' perspective is vital.