A terminal care support team in a Paris university hospital: Care providers' views

Objectives: Following three years of a terminal care support team (TCST) ac tivity: Ia) to describe current management of terminally ill patients from the care providers' viewpoint, (b) to compare the views of head nurses and physicians about this management, and (c) to identify ways of further impro ving palliative care. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to all head nurses and physicians of the hospital. Results. Care-providers consider that the T CST provides therapeutic counselling, training, and psychological help to p atients, staff, and families. Few care providers were reluctant to request advice in the management of their patients. Most were satisfied with the pa rtnership with the TCST and deemed it effective. Further improvements sugge sted for terminally ill patient care included greater assistance from the T CST, especially for nurses, and expanding TCST activities to outpatient man agement and home care programs. Conclusion: Health care providers consider the implementation of the TCST to have been successful.