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The significance of social environments in the care of the terminally ill

dc.contributor.authorAnderson, Helen Burke
dc.date.accessioned2011-09-27T01:57:27Z
dc.date.accessioned2022-10-30T23:28:00Z
dc.date.available2011-09-27T01:57:27Z
dc.date.available2022-10-30T23:28:00Z
dc.date.copyright1980
dc.date.issued1980
dc.description.abstractThis thesis examined the social environments of persons afflicted with a terminal illness in order to understand what significant effects such environments have on the terminally ill and their families. The terminally ill were defined as those persons diagnosed as having a fatal, incurable illness for whom nothing more in a curative way could be done. For the purposes of this paper, since they constitute the majority of the terminally ill, only those afflicted with cancer were subjects of this investigation. This study began after medical intervention and prognosis had taken place and focused upon subsequent care. It was undertaken in the Wellington area and carried out with the permission of the general practitioners in charge of the cases and the Community Health Service. Observations and interviews with terminally ill patients were undertaken over a six-month period. Two independent but parallel developments have contributed to the model of health care operating in Wellington for the care of the terminally ill cancer patients. Hospice-concept care programs appear to have evolved in the Wellington area coincidental with 1) the creation of the oncology nurse specialty position by the Community Health Service and 2) the practice of admitting overflow cancer patients from Wellington Hospital to the then Calvary Hospital, now The Mary Potter Hospice, and the establishment of Te Omanga Hospice in Lower Hutt. The health services program of home care achieved a fit with a voluntary hospice-concept of care and a service model evolved which has provided a significant terminal care environment for dying patients. It was found in the study that the role of the oncology nurse may be overdemanding. Further, that general practitioners spent less time with terminally ill patients than nurses resulting in a shift in dependence of patients from doctors to nurses, which may be responsible for role strain in doctors and role ambiguity in nurses. The establishment of two hospices, which appeared to fill a deep need in terminally ill patients and their families, was supported by voluntary agencies and was not structurally integrated into the health care delivery system. The findings may have implications for individuals, families, medical personnel and health care planners.en_NZ
dc.formatpdfen_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir.wgtn.ac.nz/handle/123456789/26469
dc.languageen_NZ
dc.language.isoen_NZ
dc.publisherTe Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellingtonen_NZ
dc.rights.holderAll rights, except those explicitly waived, are held by the Authoren_NZ
dc.rights.licenseAuthor Retains Copyrighten_NZ
dc.rights.urihttps://www.wgtn.ac.nz/library/about-us/policies-and-strategies/copyright-for-the-researcharchive
dc.subjectTerminal care facilitiesen_NZ
dc.subjectCancer patientsen_NZ
dc.subjectTerminal careen_NZ
dc.titleThe significance of social environments in the care of the terminally illen_NZ
dc.typeTexten_NZ
thesis.degree.disciplineSociologyen_NZ
thesis.degree.grantorTe Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellingtonen_NZ
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_NZ
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Artsen_NZ
vuwschema.type.vuwAwarded Research Masters Thesisen_NZ

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