ORCID Profile
0000-0002-6738-8578
Current Organisations
University of Sydney
,
Prince of Wales Hospital
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Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.AUCC.2018.12.002
Abstract: The objective of this review is to describe the practice of memory making as part of end-of-life care within an adult intensive care setting and determine reported outcomes. A scoping review of the literature was performed. Data were collected from sources such as ProQuest, CINAHL, Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed using combinations of the keywords: including adult, critical care, intensive care, ICU, death, dying, grief, bereavement, end?of?life, memento*, memor*, keepsak*, and transitional object. Peer-reviewed studies reporting on the use of memory making within an adult intensive care setting and its outcomes for family members were included. Four activities facilitating memory making as part of end-of-life care for adults are reported in the literature, all in the intensive care setting. Use of a computer-generated word cloud image received by families in the intensive care was reported as a meaningful keepsake and sometimes displayed in places such as the patient's funeral memorial. Offering a printed copy of the patient's electrocardiogram as a memento was considered by some to be extremely or very helpful during their bereavement experience and was reported by nursing staff to be well received by family members. The use of patient diaries during bereavement has been reported with the potential to promote better understanding of the events leading to the death, and photography was also included in some patient diaries as a visual memento. Although limited evidence is available concerning memory making in the adult intensive care environment, from studies to date, surviving family members of deceased patients in the intensive care unit mostly report valuing memory-making opportunities when offered. However, further research is required to evaluate both healthcare staff's competence and confidence in offering memory making and determine if such offerings promote the family's adjustment to the loss of their loved one after a death in the intensive care area.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.AUCC.2021.08.003
Abstract: An activity to provide a tangible keepsake following the death of a loved one is termed 'memory making'. However, limited evidence is available related to professionals' education and support to provide memory making opportunities in the adult intensive care unit (ICU). Having a greater understanding of healthcare professionals' experiences can inform future patient/family care and support for professionals in end-of-life care. The objective of this study was to describe what participants perceive memory making to be, if they have facilitated memory making activities as part of their practice, if they perceive it as part of their role, and if they have the necessary skills to do so. Seventy-five registered nurses (75% response rate), 19 medical doctors (76% response rate), and two social workers (66.7% response rate) completed a survey at a single tertiary referral centre in an adult ICU. Participants reported memory making to include the creation of tangible keepsakes as well as nontangible activities. Overall, participants reported high agreement scores that the responsibility for initiating memory making predominately belonged to the nurse. Participants reported skills most needed involved the ability to interact with the family, being open to the concept, and integrating memory making into their standard of care. Having developed a rapport with families was considered an enabler, whereas lack of knowledge and clinical workload were reported as inhibitors to offering memory making. Overall, participants in this study reported positive experiences with offering memory making to families during end-of-life care in the adult ICU. Nurses are more likely to perceive professional responsibility for offering memory making, likely due to their increased time at the bedside and higher prominence and leadership in other end-of-life practices. To support professionals, education should include conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge of keepsake creations, communication techniques using reflective practices, and organisational support to facilitate time requirements.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-04-2022
DOI: 10.1111/JOCN.16323
Abstract: Report experiences and behaviour influences with healthcare professionals' decision to and experiences of offering memory making during end-of-life care in the adult acute population. Little is known about healthcare professionals' experiences offering memory making during adult acute end-of-life care. Survey. Registered nurses, medical practitioners and social workers employed at a single tertiary referral adult intensive care, where memory making had been implemented nearly two years prior were invited to participate between June and August 2017. Reporting adheres to the STROBE checklist. Ninety-six valid surveys (75% response rate: 75 registered nurses, 19 medical practitioners, and 2 social workers) were analysed with 67 participants reporting experience offering memory making. Highest overall agreement scores included believing families value memory making and the offer of memory making being beneficial. Enablers were described as organisational supports, personal qualities and good interpersonal relationships. Barriers identified included the intensive care environment, workload, inexperience offering/facilitating memory making, being afraid to offer, lack of resources and legality concerns. Compared with non-experienced participants, experienced participants reported higher level of confidence and comfort offering memory making, pride in their ability, ability to spend time supporting families and had observed colleagues offering memory making. Experienced participants were less likely to be afraid to offer, be limited by the family's behaviours, report lack of resources or be time limited to offer memory making. Findings identify elements needed for the development and support for offering memory making to assist bereaved families in adult acute care including role modelling, support to reduce negative emotions, workload assistance and leadership/organisational support. Discoveries have important implications in addressing evidence gaps regarding behaviour influences linked to the decision to offer memory making. Findings inform development and sustainability to integrate memory making as routine end-of-life care intervention in adult acute care.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-04-2023
DOI: 10.1111/JOCN.16725
Abstract: To explore the family's experience being offered memory making during end‐of‐life care in the adult intensive care unit and its use in early bereavement. Family members of in iduals who develop a critical illness requiring emergency hospitalisation are unlikely to be prepared for a possible death. This places them at increased risk of poorer bereavement experiences. One potential intervention is memory making, which is an act that provides tangible objects such as a handprint, footprint, lock of hair, or teddy bear, that allows connections with and provides meaningful memories about a person. Families in the adult acute population reportedly have positive reactions regarding the objects, but it is unknown the object’s effects on early bereavement experiences. Descriptive qualitative study utilising inductive reflexive thematic analysis. Reporting adheres to the COREQ checklist. Between May 2019‐December 2020, a purposeful, convenience s le of 21 participants from a tertiary referral, adult intensive care unit in Australia were recruited to explore their experiences being offered memory making during end‐of‐life care and the objects use in early bereavement. Interviews were conducted using a semi‐structured format and occurred at the participants' location of choice. Data analysis generated three themes: guidance during end of life by healthcare professionals that recognises the autonomy of the family object used as a trigger to access memories and storage and preservation of the object as an indication of its sentimental value and use in early bereavement Memory making objects such as handprints, locks of hair, or teddy bears received in the adult intensive care unit were valued and utilised during early bereavement by most recipients. Findings inform practice evidence gaps regarding the family's experiences of memory making received as a bereavement intervention in the adult acute population. Participants contributed through sharing their first‐hand experiences of receiving memory making in the adult intensive care unit.
Location: Australia
No related grants have been discovered for Melissa Riegel.