Compassionately Witnessing Death: Patient-Centered Care and Communication Experiences of a Hospice Volunteer

Abstract

Patient-centered care emphasizes respect and dignity, requiring that providers listen to and honor patient and family perspectives and choices. The delivery of patient-centered care in the hospice context depends on the contributions of the entire health care team serving the physical, emotional, and social needs of patients during the final stages of life. Hospice volunteers primarily offer social and task-oriented support in an effort to relieve the suffering experienced by dying patients and their families. This case explores the communication experiences of a hospice volunteer as reflective of the patient-centered care approach. This case study is presented as a conversation between a potential new volunteer and an experienced volunteer, “Sarah.” Actual transcriptions from an interview with Sarah illustrate her experiences of compassionately witnessing death during hospice patient-volunteer encounters. Sarah shares the stories of three specific patient encounters to illustrate the relationships, challenges, and rewards involved in her role as a hospice volunteer.