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Using the LCP: Bereaved Relatives' Assessments of Communication and Bereavement

¹ Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
² Nursing Home de Blaauwe Hoeve, Stichting Curamus, Hulst, the Netherlands
³ Department of Medical of Oncology, Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
⁴ Nursing Home Laurens Antonius Ysselmonde, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
⁵ Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: a.vanderheide{at}erasmusmc.nl.

	Abstract

The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) is aimed at improving care and communication in the dying phase. The authors studied whether use of the LCP affects relatives’ retrospective evaluation of communication and their level of bereavement. An intervention study was conducted. During the baseline period, usual care was provided to dying patients. During the intervention period, the LCP was used for 79% of the patients. In total, bereaved relatives filled in a questionnaire for 57% of the patients, on average 4 months after death. In the intervention period, relatives had lower bereavement levels when compared with relatives in the baseline period (P = .01). Communication was evaluated similarly for both periods. We conclude that LCP use during the dying phase seems to moderately contribute to lower levels of bereavement in relatives.

First published on April 10, 2008, doi:10.1177/1049909108315515

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® 2008;25:207.

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 1, 2008


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