‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study

Kasia Patynowska; Tracey McConnell; Collette McAtamney; F. Hasson

doi:10.1177/02692163231175990

‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study

Kasia Patynowska
, Tracey McConnell
, Collette McAtamney
, F. Hasson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

151 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: Healthcare assistants working in hospice at home settings have a pivotal role in supporting people dying at home and their family caregivers. Some healthcare assistants are working alone in patients’ homes, which magnifies some of the issues reported for those working closely with other team members. There is a dearth of evidence in terms of education, training and support needs for healthcare assistants when working alone. Aim: To explore the role of newly employed lone working healthcare assistants delivering palliative care in the community, and their support and educational needs. Design: Qualitative exploratory study using semi-structured interviews. Setting/participants: Healthcare assistants ( n = 16) employed less than 12 months by a national non-profit hospice and palliative care provider located across the UK. Results: Analysis of interviews identified three main themes: (1) Healthcare assistants have a unique and complex role catering for holistic needs of patients and their family caregivers in the home environment; (2) preparation for the complex role requires focus on experiential learning and specific training to support holistic care provision; (3) lone workers experience loneliness and isolation and identify peer support as a key intervention to support their wellbeing. Conclusions: Given the complexities of their role within community palliative care teams, there are key learning points in relation to healthcare assistant preparation. Education and support networks should be prioritised to reduce isolation and support ongoing learning and development of newly employed healthcare assistants; all of which is vital to ensure safety and quality of care for the growing number of people they support in the community.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1183-1192
Number of pages	10
Journal	Palliative Medicine
Volume	37
Issue number	8
Early online date	19 Jun 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/02692163231175990
Publication status	Published online - 19 Jun 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie.

Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank the healthcare assistants who participated in this study. Their contribution was greatly appreciated given the demands on their time. Thanks, are also due to PD who represented the patient and public voice and whose critical insight was highly valued. It was PD’s preference to be acknowledged for his contribution rather than be named as co-author. Special thanks are also due to Valerie Moore, Practice Development team and Research and Policy team at Marie Curie for ongoing peer support to KP. Finally, we express our thanks to the clinicians, managers and research staff who facilitated recruitment to the study. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.

Funding

Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie. Funding Information: The authors wish to thank the healthcare assistants who participated in this study. Their contribution was greatly appreciated given the demands on their time. Thanks, are also due to PD who represented the patient and public voice and whose critical insight was highly valued. It was PD’s preference to be acknowledged for his contribution rather than be named as co-author. Special thanks are also due to Valerie Moore, Practice Development team and Research and Policy team at Marie Curie for ongoing peer support to KP. Finally, we express our thanks to the clinicians, managers and research staff who facilitated recruitment to the study. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Palliative Care
Qualitative Research
Healthcare Assistant
Home Care Services
After-Hours Care
Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
General Medicine

Access to Document

10.1177/02692163231175990Licence: CC BY-NC

patynowska-et-al-2023-that-just-doesn-t-feel-right-at-times-lone-working-practices-support-and-educational-needs-ofFinal published version, 311 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

Patynowska, K., McConnell, T., McAtamney, C., & Hasson, F. (2023). ‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study. Palliative Medicine, 37(8), 1183-1192. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692163231175990

@article{7eae5f4e78994ce0ae16e148f34dd302,

title = "{\textquoteleft}That just doesn{\textquoteright}t feel right at times{\textquoteright} - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study",

abstract = "Background: Healthcare assistants working in hospice at home settings have a pivotal role in supporting people dying at home and their family caregivers. Some healthcare assistants are working alone in patients{\textquoteright} homes, which magnifies some of the issues reported for those working closely with other team members. There is a dearth of evidence in terms of education, training and support needs for healthcare assistants when working alone. Aim: To explore the role of newly employed lone working healthcare assistants delivering palliative care in the community, and their support and educational needs. Design: Qualitative exploratory study using semi-structured interviews. Setting/participants: Healthcare assistants ( n = 16) employed less than 12 months by a national non-profit hospice and palliative care provider located across the UK. Results: Analysis of interviews identified three main themes: (1) Healthcare assistants have a unique and complex role catering for holistic needs of patients and their family caregivers in the home environment; (2) preparation for the complex role requires focus on experiential learning and specific training to support holistic care provision; (3) lone workers experience loneliness and isolation and identify peer support as a key intervention to support their wellbeing. Conclusions: Given the complexities of their role within community palliative care teams, there are key learning points in relation to healthcare assistant preparation. Education and support networks should be prioritised to reduce isolation and support ongoing learning and development of newly employed healthcare assistants; all of which is vital to ensure safety and quality of care for the growing number of people they support in the community.",

keywords = "Palliative Care, Qualitative Research, Healthcare Assistant, Home Care Services, After-Hours Care, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, General Medicine",

author = "Kasia Patynowska and Tracey McConnell and Collette McAtamney and F. Hasson",

note = "Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie. Funding Information: The authors wish to thank the healthcare assistants who participated in this study. Their contribution was greatly appreciated given the demands on their time. Thanks, are also due to PD who represented the patient and public voice and whose critical insight was highly valued. It was PD{\textquoteright}s preference to be acknowledged for his contribution rather than be named as co-author. Special thanks are also due to Valerie Moore, Practice Development team and Research and Policy team at Marie Curie for ongoing peer support to KP. Finally, we express our thanks to the clinicians, managers and research staff who facilitated recruitment to the study. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2023.",

year = "2023",

month = jun,

day = "19",

doi = "10.1177/02692163231175990",

language = "English",

volume = "37",

pages = "1183--1192",

journal = "Palliative Medicine",

issn = "0269-2163",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",

number = "8",

}

Patynowska, K, McConnell, T, McAtamney, C & Hasson, F 2023, '‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study', Palliative Medicine, vol. 37, no. 8, pp. 1183-1192. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692163231175990

‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study. / Patynowska, Kasia; McConnell, Tracey; McAtamney, Collette et al.
In: Palliative Medicine, Vol. 37, No. 8, 19.06.2023, p. 1183-1192.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study

AU - Patynowska, Kasia

AU - McConnell, Tracey

AU - McAtamney, Collette

AU - Hasson, F.

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie. Funding Information: The authors wish to thank the healthcare assistants who participated in this study. Their contribution was greatly appreciated given the demands on their time. Thanks, are also due to PD who represented the patient and public voice and whose critical insight was highly valued. It was PD’s preference to be acknowledged for his contribution rather than be named as co-author. Special thanks are also due to Valerie Moore, Practice Development team and Research and Policy team at Marie Curie for ongoing peer support to KP. Finally, we express our thanks to the clinicians, managers and research staff who facilitated recruitment to the study. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Marie Curie Small Research Grant (Award Code MCSGS-21-402). KP time on this study was funded by Marie Curie. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.

PY - 2023/6/19

Y1 - 2023/6/19

N2 - Background: Healthcare assistants working in hospice at home settings have a pivotal role in supporting people dying at home and their family caregivers. Some healthcare assistants are working alone in patients’ homes, which magnifies some of the issues reported for those working closely with other team members. There is a dearth of evidence in terms of education, training and support needs for healthcare assistants when working alone. Aim: To explore the role of newly employed lone working healthcare assistants delivering palliative care in the community, and their support and educational needs. Design: Qualitative exploratory study using semi-structured interviews. Setting/participants: Healthcare assistants ( n = 16) employed less than 12 months by a national non-profit hospice and palliative care provider located across the UK. Results: Analysis of interviews identified three main themes: (1) Healthcare assistants have a unique and complex role catering for holistic needs of patients and their family caregivers in the home environment; (2) preparation for the complex role requires focus on experiential learning and specific training to support holistic care provision; (3) lone workers experience loneliness and isolation and identify peer support as a key intervention to support their wellbeing. Conclusions: Given the complexities of their role within community palliative care teams, there are key learning points in relation to healthcare assistant preparation. Education and support networks should be prioritised to reduce isolation and support ongoing learning and development of newly employed healthcare assistants; all of which is vital to ensure safety and quality of care for the growing number of people they support in the community.

AB - Background: Healthcare assistants working in hospice at home settings have a pivotal role in supporting people dying at home and their family caregivers. Some healthcare assistants are working alone in patients’ homes, which magnifies some of the issues reported for those working closely with other team members. There is a dearth of evidence in terms of education, training and support needs for healthcare assistants when working alone. Aim: To explore the role of newly employed lone working healthcare assistants delivering palliative care in the community, and their support and educational needs. Design: Qualitative exploratory study using semi-structured interviews. Setting/participants: Healthcare assistants ( n = 16) employed less than 12 months by a national non-profit hospice and palliative care provider located across the UK. Results: Analysis of interviews identified three main themes: (1) Healthcare assistants have a unique and complex role catering for holistic needs of patients and their family caregivers in the home environment; (2) preparation for the complex role requires focus on experiential learning and specific training to support holistic care provision; (3) lone workers experience loneliness and isolation and identify peer support as a key intervention to support their wellbeing. Conclusions: Given the complexities of their role within community palliative care teams, there are key learning points in relation to healthcare assistant preparation. Education and support networks should be prioritised to reduce isolation and support ongoing learning and development of newly employed healthcare assistants; all of which is vital to ensure safety and quality of care for the growing number of people they support in the community.

KW - Palliative Care

KW - Qualitative Research

KW - Healthcare Assistant

KW - Home Care Services

KW - After-Hours Care

KW - Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

KW - General Medicine

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85162659491

U2 - 10.1177/02692163231175990

DO - 10.1177/02692163231175990

M3 - Article

C2 - 37334445

SN - 0269-2163

VL - 37

SP - 1183

EP - 1192

JO - Palliative Medicine

JF - Palliative Medicine

IS - 8

ER -

Patynowska K, McConnell T, McAtamney C, Hasson F. ‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study. Palliative Medicine. 2023 Jun 19;37(8):1183-1192. Epub 2023 Jun 19. doi: 10.1177/02692163231175990

‘That just doesn’t feel right at times’ - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this