PMID: 9429958Jan 16, 1998Paper

Light-hearted death talk in a palliative day care context

Journal of Advanced Nursing
A Langley-Evans, S Payne

Abstract

This paper reports on an ethnographic investigation of a palliative day care unit. The aim of the study was to explore communication processes amongst patients with terminal disease, in an 'open awareness' context. The research involved participant observation over a period of 7 weeks. Detailed field notes were written and documentary information gathered on site. Analysis of the data showed that in the day care environment, patients readily talked about cancer, illness and death. Five themes were identified in the content of such 'death talk': talk about illness, symptoms and treatment, stories about illness and death, talk about patient deaths, talk regarding bereavement, and talk concerning personal mortality. In addition to content, it is maintained that the form of the patients' talk is pertinent to an understanding of the discursive context of palliative day care. It is proposed that the light-hearted and humorous nature of patient 'death talk' serves an important psychological function in allowing patients to distance themselves from their own deaths whilst simultaneously permitting an acknowledgement of their terminal condition. This suggests that the provision of an appropriate 'social' environment for patients with te...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 6, 2006·Palliative & Supportive Care·Ruth Anne Kinsman Dean, David M Gregory
Mar 7, 2008·Journal of Clinical Nursing·Ruth Anne Kinsman Dean, Joanne E Major
Jan 22, 2005·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·Anthony M JoshuaStephen Clarke
Sep 23, 1998·Palliative Medicine·D J Spencer, L E Daniels
Oct 12, 2010·Palliative Medicine·Elaine StevensCraig A White
Feb 27, 2016·The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care·Stephen Claxton-Oldfield, Anamika Bhatt
Sep 25, 2002·International Journal of Palliative Nursing·Louise Lee
Sep 15, 2004·International Journal of Palliative Nursing·Adrienne Slater, Elaine Freeman
Aug 4, 2009·The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care·Tomoyo MisawaCharles W Given
Jul 26, 2005·Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·Elizabeth Davies, Irene J Higginson
Feb 17, 2006·Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·W George KernohanBarbara Cochrane
May 1, 1997·Palliative Medicine·S Payne
Jun 16, 2004·Aging Clinical and Experimental Research·Ingalill Rahm Hallberg
Mar 12, 2010·British Journal of Nursing : BJN·Jillian Ireland
Sep 24, 2005·The Oncologist·Richard T PensonThomas J Lynch
Sep 17, 2002·Journal of Advanced Nursing·Chris BaileyMeinir Krishnasamy
Aug 16, 2003·Journal of Advanced Nursing·Julie Skilbeck, Sheila Payne
Dec 22, 2004·Journal of Advanced Nursing·Marian J M AdriaansenGeorge Borm
Mar 29, 2018·The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care·Miguel Ángel Cuervo PinnaAlvaro Sanz Rubiales
Nov 25, 2000·Nurse Education Today·E Hjörleifsdóttir, D E Carter

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