This study explores the learning of volunteer end of life caregivers (EOLCG). Using the profound learning framework, the researchers will use a grounded theory approach to generate transferable characterizations of how learning occurs for EOLCGs and what the content of that learning is. As a unique population of adult learners who perform an…

Background: Community-based peer support may help meet the practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of African Americans with advanced cancer. Support teams are a unique model of peer support for persons facing serious illness, but research is rare. This study sought to (a) implement new volunteer support teams for African Americans with advanced…

Because of their extensive experience with death and dying, hospice volunteers may be more successful at engaging in meaning-making regarding their death-related experiences than their low point life experiences (e.g., job loss). Consequently, their memories of death-related experiences will manifest more meaning-making strategies (e.g.,…

Limited research has been conducted on the creation or impact of "decent" prisons, institutions where prisoners are treated with care and respect. This study set out to explore organizational factors associated with locating hospice programs into prison settings. Yet, the research produced unexpected findings about the contribution of hospice to…

Sources of stress for hospice volunteers are environmental, ideological, and personal. Attention to volunteer stress and burnout involves defining job requirements and responsibilities, frequent communication and feedback, stress management techniques, flexibility in assignments, and opportunities to verbalize emotions. (SK)

Examined role of prayer in personal and professional lives of caregivers to dying. Background questionnaires were completed by 78 counselors, doctors, nurses, and volunteers associated with hospice programs. Interviews were conducted with 24 of these subjects. Most caregivers described themselves as very religious; typical caregiver made frequent…

Survey of 68 hospice volunteers found volunteers to be relatively young, well-educated, in good health, motivated by religious beliefs and personal experience, and prepared for jobs after training and some on-the-job experience. Volunteers were most satisfied when working in direct contact with patients and families and in the hospital.…

Administered measures of generalized communication apprehension (CA), communication regarding the dying (CA-Dying), and death anxiety to 29 persons in a hospice volunteer training program and 30 persons on a hospice mailing list. Results suggest the CA-Dying scale possesses adequate reliability and validity to serve as useful index of difficulties…

Reviews findings regarding attrition of hospice volunteers. Suggests ways to improve retention relating to several aspects of volunteer administrator's job including selection of volunteers, training, overseeing transition from training to actual volunteering, structuring communication between volunteers and paid staff, and supervising and…

Using an evaluation of a hospital-based hospice as a case study, this paper analyzes problematic issues surrounding health care teams (HCTs) in light of findings revealed in the literature concerning HCT structures and processes. The factors of coordination and role definitions in HCTs and their manifestations in a particular hospice HCT in terms…