The Physical Hospital Environment and Its Effects on Palliative Patients and Their Families: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis

Abstract

Aim: To review the latest qualitative literature on how the physical hospital environment affects palliative patients and their families. Background: People with a life-limiting illness may receive palliative care to improve their quality of life in hospital and may have multiple admissions as their illness progresses. Yet, despite a preference for a death at home, more than half of the dying population will receive end-of-life care in hospital. The physical hospital environment consists of ambiance, aesthetics, and architectural factors, and it is well known that the hospital’s acute wards are not a homely environment. Demand is increasing for the physical environment to be improved to better meet the needs and demands of palliative and end-of-life patients and their families. Method: Combining thematic analysis and meta-ethnography methodologies, 12 international qualitative papers were analyzed and synthesized by the three authors. Results: Findings resulted in the development of the SSAFeR Place approach that incorporates the concepts that are important to palliative and end-of-life patients and their families by describing an environment within the acute or palliative care units that feels safe, is private, customizable, and accommodates family; is a space to share with others, is homelike in ambiance and aesthetics, and is conducive for reflection. The concepts of identity, belonging, and safety are connected to the notions of home. Conclusions: To provide person-centered care and to move the focus toward the palliative approach of comfort and quality of life, attention to room size, layout, aesthetics, and ambiance is needed.