Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Research and Innovations (new projects / technology / innovations / service models)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service I (Projects aiming to improve efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery to meet international standards)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Ng NHY(1),Ko PS(2),Cheng HL(3),Yeung WF(3),Ng CC(3),Lam PT(2),Lam WM(4),Tang LM(4)
Affiliation :
(1)Nursing Services Division,(2)Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital,(3)School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,(4)Department of Medicine, Haven of Hope Hospital
Introduction :
The Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool intervention(CSNAT-I) is a healthcare professional-facilitated intervention designed to assess, prioritize, discuss, address, and review the support needs of palliative family caregivers. While the CSNAT-I has been proven to alleviate caregiver strain and has been integrated into clinical practice in western countries, it has not yet been implemented in Hong Kong.
Objectives :
To explore the views of palliative care professionals on the potential implementation of the CSNAT-I in Hong Kong.
Methodology :
This qualitative descriptive study was conducted in United Christian Hospital and Haven of Hope Hospital from November 2023 to January 2024. Participants included doctors, nurses, medical social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and clinical psychologist experienced in supporting palliative family caregivers. They were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed individually following a semi-structured interview schedule. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed concurrently using qualitative content analysis.
Result & Outcome :
The study recruited 21 participants, mainly nurses(38.1%) and medical social workers(28.6%), mostly aged between 41 and 50(47.6%), with an average of 14 years of palliative care experience. Participants found the five-stage of CSNAT-I easy to follow and believed the assessment tool provided a comprehensive and holistic assessment of caregivers’ needs. They identified the top three caregiver support needs for discussion including managing patients’ symptoms, dealing with own feelings and worries, and knowing what to expect in the future. Participants agreed four supportive actions -family and friend support, direct care by professionals, signposting, and referrals as crucial to addressing caregiver needs, despite current practice primarily focusing on aiding caregivers in providing physical care to patients and offering referral services in hospitals. The review period for caregivers’ needs varied from two weeks to 3.5 months, depending on their progress. Implementation barriers included a lack of community services and challenges in care coordination with caregivers, while brief structured training facilitated professionals to deliver the intervention. Conclusions: Palliative care professionals showed positive views towards the implementation of CSNAT-I in Hong Kong. To provide person-centered care, it is recommended to incorporate the perspectives of family caregivers in refining and implementing the intervention.
