Dignity reflections based on experiences of end-of-life care during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative inquiry among bereaved relatives in the Netherlands (the CO-LIVE study).
Yvonne N Becqué, Wendy van der Geugten, Agnes van der Heide and 6 others
PMID 34625992WHAT IT FOUND
Bereaved relatives described isolation, unclear communication and restricted farewells as undermining dignity.
Some nursing care preserved it by arranging visits, calls, videos, attentive personal care and clear conversations, even when rules were hard.
Key findings
01Relatives described four aspects of end-of-life care as potentially undermining dignity: dealing with an unknown illness, being isolated, restricted farewells, and lack of attentiveness and communication.
02Relatives described two aspects as potentially supporting dignity: meaningful end-of-life moments and compassionate professional support.
03Compassionate nursing care was seen as preserving dignity through small relational acts such as arranging window visits, telephone calls, short videos and attentive personal care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included relatives mainly of patients who died in hospitals and nursing homes, so it says little about home or hospice deaths. Participants with a migration background were underrepresented, so the findings may be culture specific. The study reports relatives' perceptions of care, not direct patient experiences or measured outcomes. It describes one pandemic wave in one country, so visitor rules, staffing and protective equipment may differ elsewhere.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that a specific end-of-life intervention improves patient outcomes. The study asked 25 bereaved relatives to recall care experiences during one pandemic wave, and it did not compare treatments or measure patient outcomes.