Abstract

Objectives This study explored bereaved relatives' experiences of end-of-life care (EoL care) in the last 3 days in an acute private hospital in Australia. Methods An interpretative qualitative study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews with 8 bereaved relatives whose family member had died at an acute private hospital shared their experiences of the EoL care during the last 3 days of life. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Bereaved family members had mixed experiences, and their primary concerns related to the need for improvements in support for the family; communication; and clinicians partnering with families. The need for family support encompassed care for the person dying and the bereaved relatives, before and during the last days of life, and after death. Bereaved relatives perceived that hospital based EoL care could be positive when the care was collaborative with health professionals, patients, and relatives and there was effective communication. Significance of results A patient- and family-centered approach to EoL care should be provided in hospitals, and it requires understanding of the needs of both patients and family members, including informational requirements, communication approaches, and care delivery. Health-care organizations have a responsibility to care for families and this must be considered as part of organizational readiness and ongoing assessment to determine if the standards for EoL care are met. The findings serve as a guide for evidence-informed practice and may contribute to the development of resources and guidelines for delivery of quality EoL care.

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

2-28-2025

Volume

23

Funding Information

Edith Cowan University (G1003597) / Hollywood Private Hospital Research Foundation / Ron Woss Scholarship / Western Australian Nurses Memorial Charitable Trust

PubMed ID

40017104

School

Centre for Research in Aged Care / School of Nursing and Midwifery / School of Arts and Humanities

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Comments

Saunders, R., Alexander, S., Andrew, J., Wilkinson, A., Gullick, K., Davray, A., ... & Gay, M. (2025). Families’ experiences of end-of-life care in an acute private hospital: A qualitative study. Palliative & Supportive Care, 23. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951525000045

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1017/S1478951525000045