The impact on emotional well-being : Experiences of being a palliative care volunteer

Coleman, Helena and Walshe, Catherine (2020) The impact on emotional well-being : Experiences of being a palliative care volunteer. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

The impact of palliative and end-of-life care volunteers’ roles in relation to their emotional well-being is explored in this thesis. Firstly, a systematic review and thematic synthesis on the emotional experiences of being a palliative care volunteer provides an overview of existing research. The thematic synthesis employed an iterative three-stage synthesis of 22 included papers. Themes identified include intrinsic and extrinsic challenges, personal gain and the development of relationships. Volunteers face unique challenges; however, they also experience a number of positive impacts on their emotional well-being. It is important to monitor how volunteers cope and provide appropriate support. Few papers focus directly on the emotional experiences of volunteers and a need for research that explores these experiences is highlighted. Secondly, an interpretative phenomenological analysis study was conducted exploring the impact of hospice volunteers’ roles in relation to their emotional well-being. Ten participants were recruited across three hospices and data were collected via semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and four themes were developed: (1) it can be challenging; (2) it’s where I’m meant to be; (3) managing death; (4) the importance of connection. Although there are psychosocial benefits for volunteers in their role, considering challenges is important to ensure that support is provided to help volunteers manage these challenges. Thirdly, a critical appraisal: a reflection on the experience of conducting the thesis, focusing on ideas for future research, boundaries and other areas of concern or interest throughout. This thesis highlights the need for more research into the emotional experiences of palliative and end-of-life care volunteers and indicates value in implementing formal support for volunteers.