Response and role of palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national telephone survey of hospices in Italy

摘要

Lecturer in Adult Nursing, University of Manchester, UKThe emergence of COVID-19 has led to a significant impact globally, with the emerging and ongoing pandemic raising many complex challenges for the care requirements of people affected by the virus. It is acknowledged that palliative care plays a significant role in care delivery for people affected by the virus, both in symptom relief and in the provision of end-of-life care. Italy was identified as one of the first countries in Europe to be severely affected by the virus. Despite the availability of palliative care in acute care settings and in the home, the role of the hospice must be considered. It is suggested that there is very limited evidence to show how hospices contribute in the face of a pandemic.