• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.80-83
• /
• 2019

First of all, this study shows the legal issues of hospice and palliative care, and the legal basis for lifelong medical practice is generally derived from medical, civil and criminal law regulations, and is applied to patients who are severely ill and dying in principle. In addition, those what is particularly meaningful about hospice and palliative care in terms of legal aspects are discussed the determination of the purpose of care and the provision of medical adaptability and adult guardianship, in particular the legal criteria for the work and status of patient representatives. As such, the purpose of care is to form part of the contract of care and to be agreed between the patient and the physician. In addition, the patient may not write to his/her agent in advance, and the patient may admit discretionary powers to his/her agent, but the patient's will is to be considered. In conclusion, the medical institutional ethics committee should play an active role, especially in the case of no-agents/family or no intention of the patient.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-4
• /
• 2020

To deliver holistic and person-centered palliative care (PC), the spiritual dimension must also be assessed. However, many nurses do not screen for or assess patient spirituality. This article presents five things that PC nurses can consider in order to improve their spiritual screening and assessment practices. These points are as follows: (1) Understand that spirituality is manifest in a myriad of ways and is not the same thing as religiosity. (2) Screen for spiritual distress, and then later conduct a spiritual history or assessment. (3) Remember that spirituality is not just something to assess upon admission. (4) Know that there are many ways to assess spirituality (it is not merely how a patient verbally responds to a question about spirituality or religiosity). (5) Remember that assessment can also be therapeutic.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.159-168
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas on psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 160 nurses who cared for terminal cancer patients was conducted. The participants were recruited from the hospice-palliative care wards, hematology or oncology wards, or intensive care units of three general hospitals in a single metropolitan area. Data were collected using a self-administered survey to assess end-oflife care competency, ethical dilemmas, psychological burnout, and general sociodemographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent ttest, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical linear regression analysis using SPSS for Windows (version 26.0). Results: Psychological burnout was significantly correlated with end-of-life care competency (r=-0.23, P=0.003) but not with ethical dilemmas. The results of the hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that endof-life care competency (β=-0.280, P=0.010) and ethical dilemmas (β=0.275, P=0.037) were significant predictors of psychological burnout, after adjusting for age, religious status, clinical experience, and unit type. Conclusion: The current study's findings demonstrate that end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas are crucial factors that affect psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. Substantive education programs must be developed to improve nurses' competencies in end-of-life care and ethical dilemmas to decrease psychological burnout.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.32-40
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The survey was aimed to provide basic data to develop a certification system for hospice and palliative care professionals. Methods: National Cancer Center (NCC) and the Korean Society for Hospice & Palliative Care (KSHPC) conducted the survey for hospice and palliative care professionals who worked at 34 Palliative care units designated by the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs (MW) and the members of the KSHPC. The survey was conducted via e-mail from June 17 to 23, 2009. Total 220 professionals were surveyed. Results: Most of the hospice and palliative care professionals reported a great need for certification system: Physician, 90% (n=51) nurse, 84% (n=134) social worker, 89% (n=35). In regard with the requirement for the certification, a majority of physicians (46%) preferreddiploma course, while social workers (46%) preferred training course for medical social workers. Concerning the certification body, physician (45%) preferred the KSHPC and the MW almost equally, while nurses (50%) and social workers (60%) preferred the MW highly. As for the body to develop and accredit advance training course for each professionals, most of the physicians (51%) preferred the KSHPC, whereas nurses and social workers preferred collaboration of the MW (or NCC) with the professional society, such as the KSHPC (23%), the Korean Hospice & Palliative nurses association for nurses (21%), or the Korean association of (medical) social workers (37%). Lastly, all respondents preferred the course format of once a week, full day, and some field study at weekend. Conclusion: Korean hospice and palliative care professionals identified the great need for the certification system, therefore, the adequate system development must be followed to reflect their voice.

• Korean Journal of Hospice Care
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.15-28
• /
• 2007

This study was focused on figure out what kinds of elements are influencing on job satisfaction with approach of the educational system. It was also to figure out how work characteristics and role conflicts of employees influence on job satisfaction. Objects of study were employeeswho had been working in Hospice and Palliative medical center at least for 6 months, and they were doctors, nurses, ministers, and welfare workers. Collected materials were analyzed by Frequency Analysis, One-way ANOVA, Correlation Analysis, and SimpleRegression Analysis. Results from study can be summarized like below. The first, job satisfaction of workers in Hospice and Palliative medical center were 3.36, and this numerical value is pretty high over all. For saying from the higher to the lower satisfaction level, there were satisfaction with job itself, satisfaction with co-workers, satisfaction with seniors (superiors), and satisfaction with organizations, on the other hands, satisfaction with salaries was turned out as the lowest level among those. The second, role conflict was 2.63, and it is considered as the medium level. after inquiring into it by elements of role conflict, they felt many environmental difficulties compared to other workers in different fields such as environmental difficulty, role ambiguity, insufficient ability, process obscurity, etc. The third, work environment influencing on job satisfaction are as follows. Professional environment among characteristics of work environment was significant statistically. Job satisfaction of ministers was the highest; others were in the order of doctors, welfare workers, and nurses. For employment history, job satisfaction was higher as they have more and longer job experience including whole professional experience both in hospice and palliative medical center. In addition, participating in hospice and palliative programs, intensive training regularly was significantly. Job Motivation was also significant statistically. Especially, job satisfaction was higher when people decided to work in hospice and palliative medical center because of individual desire (self-realization). Lastly, influence of role conflict on job satisfaction is as follows. Environmental difficulty, role ambiguity, insufficient ability, process obscurity, etc showed the significant meaning statistically, and the lower role conflict was related with the higher job satisfaction. Suggestions for next study based on such results are as follows in order to improve or increase job satisfaction of employees in hospice/palliative medical centers. The first, to expand education opportunity of employees is needed to increase job satisfactionof hospice/palliatives medical centers. Participating in intensive programs and seminars by types of occupation and acquiring professional knowledge are very important since employees are motivated by those activities. For that, developing and activating intensive education/programs by professional occupations are suggested. The second, dividing roles of employees and determining each job's limit clearly in hospice/palliative medical centers are required. For that, study developing standard job regulations is suggested for each professional job. Lastly, developing and providing reasonable salaries is needed because low salaries of hospice/palliative medical centers are the absolute reason lowering job satisfaction. Therefore, this paper suggests improving the salary level of employees of hospice/palliative medical centers and developing practical plan for it.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.199-203
• /
• 2021

This paper provides practical suggestions for how palliative care clinicians can address the expressions of spiritual struggle voiced by patients and their loved ones. In addition to practical tips for listening and responding, ethical guidance and opportunities for self-reflection related to spiritual care are briefly discussed. Principles to guide practice when the clinician is listening and responding to a patient expressing spiritual struggle include being non-directive, honoring (vs. judging) the patient's spiritual or religious experience, keeping the conversation patient-centered, focusing on the core theme of what the patient is expressing presently, using the patient's terminology and framing, and responding "heart to heart" or "head to head" to align with the patient. Ultimately, the goal of a healing response from a spiritual care generalist is to allow the patient to "hear" or "see" themselves, to gain self-awareness. To converse with patients about spirituality in an ethical manner, the clinician must first assess the patient's spiritual needs and preferences and then honor these.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.171-184
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The study explored the meaning of experiences within a family art therapy process among terminal cancer patients and their families. Methods: Ten participants, including four terminal cancer patients currently admitted to the hospice ward at an inpatient hospice facility in S City and four caregiving family members, engaged in four cycles of family art therapy sessions. The sessions were conducted weekly or bi-weekly, and each lasted approximately 50 minutes. Results: Nine cross-case themes emerged: "feeling unfamiliar and intimidated by the idea of expressing my thoughts through art," "trying to accept the present and positively overcome sadness," "expressing hope through emotional bonds during the process of parting," "conveying and preserving personal and family beliefs," "feeling upset about family imbalances caused by deteriorating health," "valuing togetherness and striving for stability amidst the current challenges," "art as a medium of empowerment for patients and facilitator of family conversations, even amidst difficulties," "sharing a range of emotions-not just joy, but concerns and sorrow-through art," and "gratitude for art' s role in improving family communication and connection through artwork. Conclusion: The findings of this study lead to several conclusions. First, patients and their families faced psychological challenges when confronted with impending death, yet they strove to remain optimistic by seeking meaning in their struggles. Second, families practiced open and expressive communication, sharing a spectrum of complex emotions with one another. Third, even as the patient's condition worsened, resulting in family fatigue, their support and cohesion strengthened.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 2007

Although hospice care includes palliative care technology in terminally ill person for pain, it is much more holistic including emotional, spiritual and other life dimension. Human suffering that experiencing the hospice client must be reconsidered whether one starts with an objective side or a subjective side of suffering, the strategies about the expanded consciousness is important. In the hospice caring perspectives, the body, mind and spirit are integrated so the objectivity and subjectivity can merge; the extended awareness with inner resource or energy, and the positive thinking about the God is meaningful especially dying person, family member, and the hospice team.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.132-138
• /
• 2009

Proper education of hospice professionals is essential for ensuring quality of end-of-life care. In 2005, 'End-of-life Care Task Force Team' by Ministry of Health and Welfare established '60 hours of hospice education' as basic requirement for hospice professionals. This study is aimed to determine how many of the hospice professionals meet with the criteria and whether there are significant regional variations. Methods: We analyzed the data from 46 hospice organizations, which submitted the application to the 2008 designation program of Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs. Data included details of the educational records of each hospice professionals. Results: Total 673 hospice professionals were included in the analysis. Overall, only 41.5% (279/673) met the requirement. Nurses (46.8%; 177/378) were more likely to meet the requirement than doctors (35.8%; 38/106), social workers (32.0%; 24/75) and clergies (35.1%; 40/114). Hospice professionals of the organizations in metropolitan area received more education than those in small cities or rural area (52.4% vs. 25.0% for doctors, 50.6% vs. 43.9% for nurses, 42.9% vs. 25.5% for social workers). By geographic areas, hospice professionals in southeast regions received less education than other part of Korea (28.1% vs. 43.0${\sim}$48.8%, respectively). Conclusion: Less than half of the Korean hospice professionals has received proper amount of hospice education, and significant regional variations existed. National programs to promote the education of hospice professionals and eliminate its disparities are greatly warranted. Implementation of the 60-hour currirulum for hospice professionals, based on the train-the-trainer model, would be regarded as one potential solution.

• Korean Medical Education Review
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.146-152
• /
• 2020

Hospice and palliative care (HPC) education is an essential component of undergraduate medical education. Since February 4th, 2018, withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment at the end of life (EOL) has been permitted in Korea as put forth by law, the "Act on Hospice and Palliative Care and Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment for Patients at the End of Life." Therefore, Korean medical schools have faced a challenge in providing comprehensive HPC education in order to better prepare medical students to be competent physicians in fulfilling their role in caring for patients at the EOL. There have been considerable variations in the evolution and organization of HPC education across Korean medical schools for the past 20 years. In 2016, all medical schools taught HPC curriculum as a separate course or integrated courses, with the most frequently taught topics including: delivering bad news, pain management, and the concept of palliative medicine. However, the content, time allocation, learning format, and clinical skills practice training of HPC education have been insufficient, inconsistent, and diverse. For this reason, we propose a HPC curriculum containing seven domains with 60 learning objectives in a course duration of over 20 hours based on the Palliative Education Assessment Tool (PEAT) as standard HPC curriculum. Furthermore, we recommend development of a national curriculum for HPC/EOL care education to be organized by the HPC board and managed under the accreditation criteria of the Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation.