Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37334445›Full record

ArticlePalliative medicine2023

'That just doesn't feel right at times' - lone working practices, support and educational needs of newly employed Healthcare Assistants providing 24/7 palliative care in the community: A qualitative interview study.

Katarzyna A Patynowska, Tracey McConnell, Colette McAtamney, Felicity Hasson

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Palliative medicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Palliative medicine · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Palliative care and social practice · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Katarzyna A PatynowskaMarie Curie Hospice Belfast, Belfast, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-8821-4537
Tracey McConnellMarie Curie Hospice Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Colette McAtamneyMarie Curie Hospice Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Felicity HassonInstitute of Nursing and Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Paramedic Sciences Ulster University, Belfast Campus, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8200-9732
Marie Curie Hospice · GBQueen's University Belfast · GBUniversity of Ulster · GB

Funding

Marie Curie MCSGS-21-402
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealthcare assistants working in hospice at home settings have a pivotal role in supporting people dying at home and their family caregivers. Some healthcare assistants are working alone in patients' homes, which magnifies some of the issues reported for those working closely with other team members. There is a dearth of evidence in terms of education, training and support needs for healthcare assistants when working alone.

aimTo explore the role of newly employed lone working healthcare assistants delivering palliative care in the community, and their support and educational needs.

designQualitative exploratory study using semi-structured interviews. SETTING/

participantsHealthcare assistants (

resultsAnalysis of interviews identified three main themes: (1) Healthcare assistants have a unique and complex role catering for holistic needs of patients and their family caregivers in the home environment; (2) preparation for the complex role requires focus on experiential learning and specific training to support holistic care provision; (3) lone workers experience loneliness and isolation and identify peer support as a key intervention to support their wellbeing.

conclusionsGiven the complexities of their role within community palliative care teams, there are key learning points in relation to healthcare assistant preparation. Education and support networks should be prioritised to reduce isolation and support ongoing learning and development of newly employed healthcare assistants; all of which is vital to ensure safety and quality of care for the growing number of people they support in the community.

Indexed as

Hospice CarePalliative CareAllied Health PersonnelCaregiversHumansQualitative Researchafter-hours carehealthcare assistanthome care servicesPalliative carequalitative research

Identifiers

PMID37334445
PMCPMC10503246
OpenAlexW4381137527

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.