Project Description
A desire to die (DD) is frequent in palliative care. However, uncertainty remains as to the appropriate therapeutic response. To support health practitioners' (HPs) reactions to a patient’s DD, a training program and a first draft of a semi-structured clinical interview schedule with prompts (CISP) has been developed. This research project aims at revising and finding consensus on the CISP. The CISP is then meant to be used in addressing death and dying and dealing with DD in everyday clinical practice. To this end, the CISP too will be tested and then evaluated in clinical practice.
The study comprises a three step study design: (1) revision of the CISP and consensus finding based on semi-structured interviews with patients and a Delphi process with (inter-)national experts, patient representatives and relatives; (2) increasing confidence in HPs through a 2 day training program using the consented CISP; (3). a formative quantitative evaluation of conversations between HPs and patients (at three time points) and a qualitative evaluation based on interview triads of patients, relatives and HPs. The evaluation of conversations will include patient-oriented outcomes, including perceived relationships with HPs and death and dying distress.
Those interventions aim at providing a framework for open conversation and should strengthen the relationship between HPs and patients so that even difficult subjects can be discussed. Overall, the quality of life of patients with DD as well as the conversation skills and action taking of HPs should thus increase in relevant ways.
| Qualifications and professional experience | |
| since 01/2016 | Research associate, Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne |
| 09/2015 | Examination on doctoral thesis, Institute for Health Systems Research, Witten/Herdecke University, Subject: Structural, process and result quality in pediatric palliative home care |
| 04/2015 - 12/2018 | additional training in communication psychology |
| 2009/2010/2011 | Quality Representative/ Quality Manager/ Quality Auditor (TÜV academy) |
| 09/2008 - 04/2017 | Research associate, Network on severely ill children and adolescents, Hannover |
| 04/2005 - 05/2006 | Student research assistant at the EU-India Economic Cross Cultural Programme - Project: “Strengthening Micro Health Insurance for the Poor in India”; Diploma thesis on chronic illness in India |
| 04/2003 - 08/2008 | Academic studies at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, University Cologne; Diploma in Political Sciences |
| 04/2002 - 03/2003 | Scholarship by InWEnt - Capacity Building International, Education in development policy; Project on therapy of polio in West Africa |
| 01/2001 - 03/2008 | Physiotherapist in several practices in Cologne |
| 11/1997 - 10/2000 | Physiotherapy School, Orthopedic Clinic Hessisch Lichtenau, Licensed Physiotherapist |
| Research Focus |
| Desire to die in palliative patients; general and specialist, inpatient and outpatient (pediatric) palliative care; implementation and evaluation of supply structures |
| Teaching |
| Module Qualitative Methods, Bachelor Program in Interprofessional Health Care, Heidelberg University Hospital |
| Seminar on Qualitative data analysis (QDA) and the use of QDA Software, Master Program in Health Services Research and Implementation Science in Health Systems, Heidelberg University Hospital |
| Seminar on Research Processes in Medical Sociology, Model Medical Education Program, University of Cologne |
| Memberships |
| Deutsche Gesellschaft für Palliativmedizin (DGP) |
| Deutsches Netzwerk Versorgungsforschung (DNVF) |
| Qualifications and professional experience | |
| Since 2019 | Research Associate at the Department of Palliative Medicine |
| 2015 - 2019 | Research assistant at the Department of Palliative Medicine |
| 2012 - 2019 | Studied Psychology |
| Research Focus |
| Wish to Hasten Death, Communication, Health Care Research |
| Completed projects |
| Palliative Care und schwere Demenz – Implementierung einer Arbeitshilfe zum Erkennen und zur Befriedigung der Bedürfnisse von Menschen mit schwerer Demenz in der Versorgungspraxis der ambulanten und stationären Altenhilfe mit dem Ziel einer bedürfnisgerechten Versorgung |