Development of Home-Based Palliative Care Assessment Tool Preliminary Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background:One of theways to ensure optimumcare of patientswith terminal illnessesatHome-ModelofPalliativeCaresettings inNigeriais toensure theuseof accurateandsystematicergonomichomeassessment tool that takesintoconsideration the holistic factors inPalliative care practice, theCulture andSpiritual beliefs of Nigerians. Aim: This studywas designed to develop, an ergonomic home-based palliativecareassessmenttoolforthemanagementofpatientswithterminalillnessesin Nigeria.Material andMethod: 30 participants in this studywere patientswith terminal illnessesrecruitedfromthehomemodelofpain/palliativecarecentreof the University of IlorinTeachingHospital. Constructs that were relevant assessment indicatorsfortheHome-Basedpalliativecareassessmenttoolforpatientswithterminal illnesseswere identifiedfroma reviewofpublishedliterature. Atotalof120items wereidentifiedfromtheliteraturesearch.Results:Thefinal toolconsistedof55items divided into 7major domains (social class assessment, Assessment of level of consciousness,currentactivitiesofdailylivingassessment,patient insight intoillness, spiritual assessment, homeassessment andbereavement support). Conclusion:This studydevelopedahome-basedpalliativecareassessmenttoolforpatientswithterminal illnessesinahome-basedmodelofpain/palliativecarewhichwillbeusefulclinically inahome-basedmodelofpalliativecareinNigeria. Keywords: Terminal Illness, Holistic Factors, Home-Based Patients, Home-Based PalliativeCareAssessmentTool