Assessment of Terminally Ill Patients’ Perception on Communication of Prognostic Information by Healthcare Providers in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla.

ABSTRACT 

This study investigated terminally ill patients’ opinion on communication of prognostic information by healthcare providers. It specifically determined the views of terminally ill patients on what healthcare providers communicated to them about their prognosis; which of the healthcare providers that communicates prognostic information to terminally ill patients; the condition under which healthcare providers communicate prognostic information to terminally ill patients and ascertained terminally ill patients desire to have prognostic information communicated to them. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative design, data were generated using a semi-structured interview guide and audio tape recorder, and simultaneously analyzed until data saturation point. Data was generated from 15 patients, 3 males and 12 females, who met the inclusion criteria. 7 major themes and 26 subthemes that emerged from the analysis showed that most healthcare providers do not tell terminally ill patients their prognosis; most prognostic information was communicated with high optimism; terminally ill patients tend to firmly believe God’s miracle for cure despite their life-ending prognoses; healthcare providers communicate prognosis to terminally ill patients ineffectively; doctors mostly communicate prognosis to terminally ill patients; healthcare providers mainly communicate prognosis early, in the presence of other people, in the clinic; and most terminally ill patients desire to have their prognoses communicated to them and their relatives. From the above findings, it is clear that there exists poor prognostic information communication approach by healthcare providers and the desire of terminally ill patients regarding prognostic information communication vary considerably. The implication, therefore, is that if not addressed, terminally ill patients in our locality may keep being faced with the problem of taking regrettable uniformed decisions about their condition. It is recommended that healthcare providers should receive further training for more effective individualized prognostic information communication to terminally ill patients in our locality

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page- - - - - - - - - - i

Approval page- - - - - - - - - ii

Certification page - - - - - - - - iii

Dedication- - - - - - - - - - iv

Acknowledgement- - - - - - - - - v

Table of contents- - - - - - - - - vi

List of tables- - - - - - - - - - viii

List of figures-- - - - - - - - - ix

List of major themes- - - - - - - - - x

List of emerged subthemes from the major themes- - - - - xi

Abstract- - - - - - - - - - xii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION- - - - - - 1

Background to the study- - - - - - - - 1

Statement of problem-- - - - - - - - 3

Purpose of the study- - - - - - - - - 5

Objectives of the study- - - - - - - - 5

Research questions- - - - - - - - - 5

Significance of the study- - - - - - - - 6

Scope of the study- - - - - - - - - 6

Operational definition of terms- - - - - - - 7

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW- - - - - 8

Conceptual review on terminal illness- - - - - - 8

Conceptual review on communication- - - - - - 9

Conceptual review on prognosis- - - - - - - 11

Patients’ perception on prognosis communication- - - - - 13

Prognostic information communication by healthcare providers- - - 15

Theoretical review- - - - - - - - - 19

Application of the theory to this study- - - - - - 21

Conceptual framework- - - - - - - - 22

Empirical review- - - - - - - - - 24

Summary of literature review- - - - - - - 32

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD- - - - - 33

Research design- - - - - - - - - 33

Area of study- - - - - - - - - - 33

Population of the study- - - - - - - - 34

Subjects of the study- - - - - - - - - 34

Inclusion criteria- - - - - - - - - 34

Instrument for data collection- - - - - - - 34

Validity of instrument- - - - - - - - 35

Reliability of instrument- - - - - - - - 35

Ethical consideration- - - - - - - - - 36

Procedure for data collection-- - - - - - - 36

Method of data analysis- - - - - - - - 37

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS- - - 38

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS- - - - 55

Summary - - - - - - - - - - 59

Limitations to the study- - - - - - - - 59

Conclusion and implications of the findings- - - - - - 60

Recommendations- - - - - - - - - 62

Implication of this study to the nurses - - - - - 63

Suggestions for further studies- - - - - - - 63

REFERENCES

APPENDICES