Engaging Patients and Caregivers in Care Conversations
Health care providers can use open-ended questions to facilitate discussions with patients and caregivers about palliative care emergencies in the home. Asking open-ended questions can help guide patients and caregivers through unfamiliar areas to better understand potential emergency situations and treatment options.
Open-ended questions cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. They are designed to encourage conversations, even about difficult issues, because they generate answers based on the person’s knowledge and feelings.
A good open-ended question usually begins with What, Who, or How and then provides the opportunity to seek more information with follow-up questions.
The following “How To” resource outlines important questions home care providers can ask to help plan for palliative care emergencies.
Understand the Patient’s and Caregiver’s values
- What should I know about you as a person to give you the best care possible?
- If your condition were to decline, what would be the most important thing to you if time was short?
Discuss potential emergences and the Patient’s and Caregiver’s role
- How important is it for you to know about what may happen as your illness progresses?
- What is your understanding of your loved-one’s condition and possible emergencies that may happen?
- Who is the best person to deal with a potential emergency?
Involve the Patient and Caregiver in the plan.
- What things can we put in place to make it less distressing for you and your caregiver?
- How can we help you set up an emergency contact and action plan if an emergency happens at night or on the weekend?
- What are your wishes if you have an emergency? Would you prefer to be admitted to hospital?
- What are your expectations if an emergency happens (both the patient and caregiver)?
- How are you feeling about the emergency plan we have in place?
Check in with the Patient and Caregiver and adjust the plan
- What is important for you right now?
- How are you feeling about the emergency plan we have in place?