TY - JOUR

T1 - It’s not what they were expecting

T2 - a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the role and experience of the hospital palliative care volunteer

AU - Bloomer, Melissa

AU - Walshe, Catherine

N1 - The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Palliative Medicine, 34 (5), 2019, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2019 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Palliative Medicine page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/PMJ on SAGE Journals Online: http://journals.sagepub.com/

PY - 2020/5/1

Y1 - 2020/5/1

N2 - Background:Volunteers make a major contribution to palliative care but little is known specifically about hospital palliative care volunteers.Aim:The aim of this study was to understand the role and experience of hospital palliative care volunteers.Design:Systematic review and narrative synthesis.Data sources:CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed and three dissertation databases were searched from inception to June 2019. A forward and backward search of included papers in key journals was also undertaken. Records were independently assessed against inclusion criteria by authors. Included papers were assessed for quality, but none were excluded.Results:In total, 14 papers were included. Hospital palliative care volunteers were mostly female, aged above 40 years, and training varied considerably. Volunteers faced unique challenges in supporting dying patients due to the nature of hospital care, rapid patient turnover and the once-off nature of support. Volunteer roles were diverse, with some providing hands-on care, but most focused on ‘being with’ the dying patient. Volunteers were appreciated for providing psychosocial support, seen as complementary to, rather than replacing the work of health professionals. Given volunteers were often required to work across multiple wards, establishing positive work relationships with health professionals was challenging. Divergent views about whether the volunteer was part of or external to the team impacted volunteers’ experience and perceptions of the value of their contribution.Conclusion:Hospital palliative care volunteers face unique challenges in supporting terminally ill patients. Volunteer support in hospital settings is possible and appropriate, if sufficient support is available to mitigate the challenges associated with complex, high-acuity care.

AB - Background:Volunteers make a major contribution to palliative care but little is known specifically about hospital palliative care volunteers.Aim:The aim of this study was to understand the role and experience of hospital palliative care volunteers.Design:Systematic review and narrative synthesis.Data sources:CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed and three dissertation databases were searched from inception to June 2019. A forward and backward search of included papers in key journals was also undertaken. Records were independently assessed against inclusion criteria by authors. Included papers were assessed for quality, but none were excluded.Results:In total, 14 papers were included. Hospital palliative care volunteers were mostly female, aged above 40 years, and training varied considerably. Volunteers faced unique challenges in supporting dying patients due to the nature of hospital care, rapid patient turnover and the once-off nature of support. Volunteer roles were diverse, with some providing hands-on care, but most focused on ‘being with’ the dying patient. Volunteers were appreciated for providing psychosocial support, seen as complementary to, rather than replacing the work of health professionals. Given volunteers were often required to work across multiple wards, establishing positive work relationships with health professionals was challenging. Divergent views about whether the volunteer was part of or external to the team impacted volunteers’ experience and perceptions of the value of their contribution.Conclusion:Hospital palliative care volunteers face unique challenges in supporting terminally ill patients. Volunteer support in hospital settings is possible and appropriate, if sufficient support is available to mitigate the challenges associated with complex, high-acuity care.

KW - Hospice care

KW - hospital

KW - hospital volunteer

KW - inpatient

KW - palliative care

KW - social care

KW - volunteers

U2 - 10.1177/0269216319899025

DO - 10.1177/0269216319899025

M3 - Journal article

VL - 34

SP - 589

EP - 604

JO - Palliative Medicine

JF - Palliative Medicine

SN - 0269-2163

IS - 5

ER -