Michael Connolly
University College Dublin
Republic of Ireland
A service level evaluation of clinical case review as a learning tool in a palliative care in-patient setting.
Background
Palliative care is considered a high stress work environment with evidence of significant burnout and compassion fatigue. The nature of palliative care involves the management of patients and their families with complex needs at various points on the disease trajectory and at end of life. Discussing clinical decisions and outcomes is important in the context of learning through experience. One method to enhance such learning is Clinical Case Review, where complex cases and the clinical decisions taken can be discussed in a safe, secure and supportive environment.
Objectives
The goal of the project to is to evaluate clinical case reviews as a learning tool in a palliative care in-patient setting.
Clinical Case Reviews are currently used to discuss complex cases focussing on the management and outcomes for patient and their families.
The purpose of this proposed service level evaluation is to identify:
• What if anything is working well?
• What if anything is not working well?
• Propose changes if required, based on the evaluation findings
• Evaluate the effect of Clinical Care Reviews as a learning tool.
Method
This proposed research will take a “realistic evaluation” approach (Pawson and Tilley, 1997). It entails a detailed description and interpretation of the clinical case review as a learning tool in an inpatient palliative care setting. This service level evaluation ultimately seeks to understand the positive and negative experiences of clinical case review for staff who attend and take part in them (Greenhalgh et al, 2004; Byng, 2002; Pawson and Tilley, 1997).
This study is being undertaken using a qualitative approach, using focus groups interviews as means of data collection in order to evaluate clinical case reviews as a learning tool in a palliative care setting. Participants who already attend the clinical case reviews will be invited to take part in a focus group which will focus on addressing key questions related to both positive and negative experiences of clinical case review.