Collaborative Practice in Palliative Care explores how different professions work collaboratively across professional, institutional, social, and cultural boundaries to enhance palliative care. Analysing palliative care as an interaction between different professionals, clients, and carers, and the social context or community within which the interaction takes place, it is grounded in up-to-date evidence, includes global aspects of palliative care and cultural diversity as themes running throughout the book, and is replete with examples of good and innovative practice. Drawing on experiences from within traditional specialist palliative care settings like hospices and community palliative care services, as well as more generalist contexts of the general hospital and primary care, this practical text highlights the social or public health model of palliative care. Designed to support active learning, it includes features such as case studies, summaries, and pointers to other learning resources. This text is an important reference for all professionals engaged in palliative care, particularly those studying for post-qualification programmes in the area.

Palliative care is the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual care of people with a life-limiting illness (Palliative Care Subcommittee, 2007). As a health care service, palliative care advocates for a holistic multidisciplinary approach. While service delivery is certainly multidisciplinary, whether health professionals working in New Zealand palliative care services practice collaboratively, and in what form that collaboration takes, is unknown. Collaborative practice can be difficult to achieve, as traditionally trained health professionals are more accustomed to working alongside each other, rather than together (Herbert, 2005; Herbert et al., 2007). Gaining further knowledge about what is occurring in practice is important when, driven by international workforce shortages and an increasing complexity of health care, the World Health Organisation (WHO) (WHO & Health Professions Network Nursing and Midwifery Office: Department of Human Resources for Health, 2010) has called for interprofessional education and collaborative practice across all areas of health care.Glaserian grounded theory methodology has been used to examine the area of interest which is, ‘What is the main concern of health professionals working collaboratively in palliative care (with colleagues and patients) and how do they manage that?’ A total of 25 interviews were undertaken with 23 participants, across professional disciplines, working in palliative care services within the North Island of New Zealand. Through an iterative process of constant comparative analysis and conceptualisation, using memoing, key concepts, and abstracting categories, a theory emerged. The theory of Sharing Time explained the social process of how health professionals working collaboratively in palliative care facilitated collaboration, while managing their main concern. Sharing Time is both an interactive participatory process and an outcome.The main concern of possessorship, is defined as having possession of a tangible commodity or having a need to have possession of an intangible commodity, that has the potential to impact patient care when not shared. Sharing Time occurs when health professionals purposefully make time, take time, find time, and spend time in their workday for and with each other, to share further, and facilitate collaboration. Sharing Time occurs through purposeful connecting and finding common ground. Integrated by reciprocity this theory is mutually beneficial to all involved as there is an exchange of a commodity, such as equipment or information, which improves patient care.This research also discovered that health professionals Sharing Time are facilitating collaboration by situating this strategy in a middle ground. Moving outside of this middle ground, where there is too much or too little Sharing Time, continues the main concern of possessorship rather than manages it, which adds barriers to collaboration. The theory of Sharing Time has potential value for all health professionals working in palliative care, as it facilitates collaboration and promotes further sharing. Collaboration and managing possessorship promotes a safer work environment.

Teamwork is a complex but essential component of palliative care. The needs of people suffering from a life-threatening illness are diverse, and it is rare for one professional alone to provide adequate care; the skills of others are needed to ensure a holistic approach. This book explores the different aspects of team working in palliative care.

Author supplied keywords: Sharing time; Possessorship; Hospice; Palliative care; Collaboration.

Note to Readers: Publisher does not guarantee quality or access to any included digital components if book is purchased through a third-party seller. A focus on intentional communication, team building, and relational maintenance This text is designed to help form and maintain palliative care teams that survive and thrive. Whether you are starting a new team or hoping to help an existing team, this text addresses aspects of team players, leadership, meetings, organizational culture, and self- and team-care through a combination of empirical data and real voices from healthcare professionals in palliative care practice. By focusing on the individual professional in relation to team health and success, this text shows how to develop high-quality, high-performing palliative care teams. Perfect for students and working professionals, this text is useful at any time in your career or your team’s development. It explores the types of providers involved in palliative care, their roles, possible conflicts, and the opportunity to amplify their work as a team while overcoming the stigma that may be attached to palliative care. This book focuses on the foundational role of communication in leadership, team building, and the delivery of patient care. Designed to provide workable solutions to challenges such as poor team design, siloing, and faulty communication, it provides suggestions that can be implemented immediately by your palliative care team. This focus allows healthcare professionals who are passionate about palliative care to grow into high-functioning teams with a focus on excellent patient care. Key Features: Satisfactory and unsatisfactory palliative care experiences Stories from nurses, social workers, chaplains, physicians, pharmacists, executives, patients, and families Pearls From the Field: Provider and team takeaways Best practices of team leaders Tips for individuals and palliative care teams to communicate with other providers, departments, and senior leadership Discussions on how to improve short-term and long-term functionality Outlines to use as predictors of burnout for palliative care professionals and teams Self-care and team-care suggestions A combination of recent research and theory in an accessible writing style Includes podcasts, videos, and case study and self-care plan supplements

'The Textbook of Palliative Care Communication' is the authoritative text on communication in palliative care. Uniquely developed by an interdisciplinary editorial team to address an array of providers including physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains, it unites clinicians and academic researchers interested in the study of communication.

Communication in Palliative Nursing unites complementary work in communication studies and nursing research to present a theoretically grounded curriculum for teaching palliative care communication to nurses. The chapters outline the COMFORT curriculum, comprised of these elements: Communication, Orientation and opportunity, Mindful presence, Family, Openings, Relating, and Team communication. Central to this curriculum is the need for nurses to practice self-care. Based on a narrative approach to communication, which addresses communication skills development holistically, this volume teaches nurses to consider a holistic model of communication that aligns with the holistic nature of palliative care. This work moves beyond the traditional and singular view of the nurse as patient and family teacher, to embrace more complex communication challenges present in palliative care -- namely, providing care and comfort through communication at a time when patients, families, and nurses themselves are suffering. In addition to collaborating with physicians, the nurse's role involves speaking with patients and families after they have received bad news and often extends to discussions of spiritual and religious concerns. This book covers communication theory, clinical tools, and teaching resources to help nurses enhance their own communication and create comfort for themselves, as well as for patients and their families.