Bereaved parent’s satisfaction with home-based pediatric palliative care: Finding from Poland

Background: Measurement of satisfaction with palliative care seems to be a tool evaluating quality of care, especially in pediatric population.Objective: The aim of this study was the evaluation of care based on satisfaction measured among bereaved parents of patients of Home Hospice for Children of Lodz Region.Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was posted to the parents of 51 children, who died under hospice care between years 2005-2010.Out of 36 questions 27 were divided into 5 domains: general care evaluation, communication with hospice staff, work of basic staff, conditions of social care, preparation for child's death.For standardization of results transformation of raw results in 100-point scale within 0-100 points was conducted.Results: 42 completely filled questionnaires were returned and 37 were included in the analysis.The most frequently reason to use hospice care was the lack of possibility of further hospital care Respondents asked about their fears connected with decision to use hospice care most frequently said that they wouldn't cope with home care, Main expectations connected with hospice care were minimizing the feeling of helplessness.Total value of children's families satisfaction with hospice care was classified as "very good".Average values in all domains excluding the level of preparation for child's death exceeded 75 points significantly.Among the domains which value was classified as "very good" general satisfaction with care and staff-family communication were top classified.