The Impact of Receiving a Family-Oriented Therapeutic Conversation Intervention Before and During Bereavement Among Family Cancer Caregivers: A Nonrandomized Trial.

• Published in: Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing
• Main Authors: Petursdottir, Asta B, Sigurdardottir, Valgerdur, Rayens, Mary Kay, Svavarsdottir, Erla Kolbrun
• Other Authors: 1 ‎ Univ Iceland, Sch Hlth Sci, Reykjavik, Iceland Show more 2 ‎ Landspitali Natl Univ Hosp, Palliat Care Unit, Reykjavik, Iceland Show more 3 ‎ Univ Iceland, Fac Nursing, Sch Hlth Sci, Reykjavik, Iceland Show more 4 ‎ Univ Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA Show more 5 ‎ Landspitali Natl Univ Hosp, Res & Dev Family Nursing, Reykjavik, Iceland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS 2020
• Subjects: Líknarmeðferð; Krabbamein; Sorg; Palliative Care; Bereavement; Caregivers; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/621576; https://doi.org/10.1097/NJH.0000000000000679

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink below Effective communication is the foundation of quality care in palliative nursing. As frontline palliative home care providers, nurses could foster more effective bereavement coping skills through therapeutic conversations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a nursing intervention offered to bereaved family cancer caregivers. This was a quasi-experimental design, with a posttest-only comparison of the intervention and control groups receiving usual care. Bereaved caregivers (n = 51) receiving services from a specialized palliative home care unit participated and completed measures of depression, anxiety, stress, and grief reactions 3, 5, and 6 months after their close relative had died.There was a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms in the intervention group compared with the control group across all 3 time points. Anxiety and stress symptoms also decreased over time in the 2 groups combined, but this decrease was not observed for depression. When evaluating grief reactions, the intervention group had a lower mean of controlled grief responses, across the posttest period, than the control group.Results demonstrate that providing bereaved family caregivers the opportunity to participate in a therapeutic conversation intervention might reduce distressing symptoms in early bereavement. LUH Scientific Fund Scientific Fund of the Nurses Association in Iceland Research Fund of Ingibjorg R. Magnusdottir