Authors (including presenting author) :
Law HK(1), Chan SY(2), Hung WY(1), So MH(3), Yu SM(4), Tse YK(4), Chiu PC(5), Cheung KK(5), Ma SY(1), Wong MS(1), Wong MS(1), Ip TWY(1), Lam SK(1), Cheung WY(1), Lam PT(1), Ko PS(6), Ng HY(6)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, (2) Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, (3)Paediatric & Adolescent Medical Department, (4)Community Nursing Service, (6)Nursing Services Division, United Christian Hospital, (5)Palliative Care Service, Department of Medicine, Haven of Hope Hospital
Introduction :
Face-to-face visits were prohibited in hospitals under the condition of COVID-19. To encounter the uprising need for phone communication for end-of-life issues with caregivers under such circumstances, and the lack of a locally designed communication guide for telecommunication, a compassionate communication kit set of both Chinese (with Cantonese Dialogue) and English versions (with English Dialogue) was developed.
Objectives :
(1) To enhance the nursing staff’s knowledge and skill about telecommunication of end-of-life issues with caregivers; (2) to provide a supportive and therapeutic phone call to caregivers; (3) to facilitate caregivers’ understanding of end-of-life patients’ condition and care plan
Methodology :
Two identical educational talks and simulation workshops, and a small-scale pilot study of using the communication kit set were carried out to provide training on telecommunication skills and knowledge for nursing staff and to evaluate the communication kit set developed. Convenience sampling was employed from Palliative Care Ward of United Christian Hospital (UCH). Quantitative data from questionnaires were collected after the talks and calls to evaluate the outcome.
Result & Outcome :
27 nursing staff joined the educational talk and simulation workshop. An average of 4.33/5 was scored for enhancing their self-confidence in communicating end-of-life issues with caregivers, and scoring 4.32/5 for the usefulness of the ‘Communication Kit Set’. Verbal feedback was also collected, such as nurses’ reflections on how to integrate the use of the communication kit set into their daily practices, and the limitations of the communication kit set. From September to October 2021, a total of 16 caregivers of end-of-life patients were approached using the newly developed communication kit set in the small pilot study. 8 cases were evaluated at last, with all caregivers agreed on their better understanding of the patient’s condition and most of them felt the support and comfort provided by the nurse. To conclude, the newly developed ‘Communication Kit Set’ appeared useful and effective in conveying end-of-life messages and facilitating communication with caregivers. By using the kit set, nurses showed improved self-confidence and agreed that the kit set can guide them through the communication of end-of-life issues with caregivers. Further study can be done on revising the evaluation tools, expanding the target group, and lengthening the study period. It was recommended to use the communication kit set in wards other than the palliative care ward and to include a telecommunication workshop in the induction program of new staff.
