Home care workers paint their encounters with death in new study
It is usually said that "a picture is worth a thousand words" and in a new research project at Mid Sweden University, pictures are in focus when home care workers are to paint their experiences of watching over dying people. The study is part of a larger research project on palliative care.
"Right now, we are looking for 15–20 licensed practical nurses and nurse assistants who want to participate in this study. The purpose of the research project is, among other things, to investigate the staff's well-being when they have been exposed to a patient's suffering and death," says Laura Tolboom, doctoral student at the Department of Health Sciences at Mid Sweden University.
The research project will lead to a doctoral thesis in palliative care nursing where the overall research question aims to answer what the experiences and strategies are of the leading nurse and home care workers, who together provide care to dying people.
Using an art-based data collection method is relatively unique and innovative in nursing research and research on palliative care. Creating art together can facilitate conversations about difficult topics and the method generates a rich and deep material. SFPO (Nurses for Palliative Nursing) has granted the research group a scholarship to purchase material for the study.
"By letting the participants paint, they can be helped to express lived experiences that are hidden in the subconscious. The participants will, in small groups, each paint a watercourse that symbolizes a time span where they have cared for a dying person in the last days of life. They can decide for themselves how much they want to share their experiences, and what the rest of the painting should look like, it can take any form," says Laura Tolboom.
"Out in the field of home care, there is minute planning and hardly any time for collegial support or reflection circles, but to then be able to sit for a while and focus on your own feelings, experiences and paint a picture, everyone has time for that," says Marion Väinämö Englaborn. Licensed nursing teacher and specialist in palliative care.
The method used is called the 'River of Experience'. The participants paint symbols, shapes and figures, such as plants, stones, people or animals, and choose colours and composition. To give the participants as much creative freedom as possible, they also get to write text on their paintings. After they have finished painting, the participants tell the group about their paintings.
"We have had the project approved by the ethical review authority and already carried out a smaller test, but it will be very exciting to start with more participants in the spring. The home care workers consists of people with many different backgrounds, skills and experience, and we want our participants to reflect this," says Laura Tolboom.
"I'm glad that Laura chose to study home care workers, as there is rarely research that includes this professional category, even though it is both the largest group and spends the most time with the patient. It will be incredibly exciting to follow this project," says Marion Väinämö Englaborn.
Once the data collection is completed, the paintings and stories will be analyzed through a thematic narrative analysis, published in a scientific journal and presented at a conference.
Contact person:
Laura Tolboom, PhD student at the Department of Health Sciences at Mid Sweden University, laura.tolboom@miun.se, +46(0)72-23 75 499
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