Defining dignity in end-of-life care in the emergency department

Background:Respecting dignity is having a profound effect on the clinical relationship and the care framework for terminally ill patients in palliative care units, hospices and their own homes, with particular consequences for the emergency department. However, dignity is a vague and multifaceted concept that is difficult to measure.Objective:The aim of this study is to define the attributes of dignity in end-of-life care in the emergency department, based on the opinions of physicians and nurses.Research design:A hermeneutic phenomenological approach utilising Gadamer's philosophical underpinnings guided the study.Participants and research context:This research was conducted in Spain in 2013–2014. Participants included 10 physicians and 16 nurses with experience working in the emergency department. Two focus groups and 12 in-depth interviews were carried out.Ethical considerations:The study was approved by the Research Centre Ethical Committee (Andalusian Health Service, Spain).Findings:The results point...