Affiliation:
1. Tottori Medical Career Support Center Tottori University Hospital Yonago Japan
2. Department of Community‐Based Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Tottori University Yonago Japan
3. National Health Insurance Daisen Clinic Tottori Japan
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundHealth and social care professionals experience high‐stress levels during end‐of‐life care. Various intervention programs have been proposed to reduce stress and prevent burnout among physicians and nurses, including arts‐based activities that have shown potential. However, it is unclear how art programs can alleviate stress among healthcare professionals providing end‐of‐life care. This study aimed to explore the potential of Clinical Art programs to alleviate distress in professionals providing end‐of‐life care.MethodsTwo Clinical Art workshops, held in October and November 2020, were attended by local health and social care professionals. Focus groups were conducted with those who attended and consented to participate in the study. Verbatim transcripts were made, and a qualitative analysis of the text was conducted.ResultsThirteen health and social work professionals participated in the study. Perceived difficulties in end‐of‐life care included the complexity and uncertainty of end‐of‐life care services, the approaches to patients and families, and the difficulties due to human aspects of healthcare providers. The positive effects of Clinical Art included pure enjoyment of art, empathic communication with patients and families and the application of an ontological view of human beings, which were identified as reasons for Clinical Art's effectiveness and applicability to care.ConclusionsThe results suggest that the Clinical Art program has a psychosocial moderating effect on health and social work professionals and can be used for empathic communication with patients and families in end‐of‐life care and for applying an ontological view of human beings in caring for patients.
Subject
Family Practice,Geriatrics and Gerontology,Internal Medicine