Evaluation of an end-of-life program in the community setting

Noseworthy, Catherine (2020) Evaluation of an end-of-life program in the community setting. Practicum Report. Memorial University of Newfoundland. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Background and Purpose: The palliative end-of-life (PEOL) program is provided by Eastern Health to assist patients and families in accessing palliative care services in the home and community setting. These services include home visits by Registered Nurses to provide supportive services to eligible patients who are dying and want to stay at home or be discharged home from an acute care facility. Through my own observations and self-assessment, I have identified a need for a formal evaluation of the PEOL program in Rural Avalon. The purpose of this practicum project was to evaluate an existing PEOL program offered in a small rural community in NL. Methods: An integrative literature review was conducted to examine and understand more on the topic of palliative and end-of-life care in rural communities. An environmental scan was completed to identify current and existing palliative care programs that address rural populations within Canada. Data collection included consultations with key stakeholders to identify issues related to end-of-life care planning in the rural district. Results: Eight major themes were identified from the interviews, and recommendations made on how to improve end-of-life care services in the chosen rural community setting. Conclusion: The findings from this evaluation support the requirement of the Eastern Health authority to implement changes to facilitate improvement to the current PEOL program in the rural community district. It has been found that rural communities face unique obstacles in accessing palliative and end-of-life care services at home. Recommendations have been made on how to improve the program so that patients feel secure in their decision to stay at home.

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