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Systematic review
Palliative care volunteer roles in Nordic countries: qualitative studies—systematic review and thematic synthesis
  1. Karen Marie Sangild Stoelen1,2,
  2. Mette Raunkiaer2,
  3. Kirstine Winther3,
  4. Maria Vilhelm Grubert3 and
  5. Benjamin Olivares Bøgeskov1
  1. 1 Faculty of Health, Research and Developement, Department of Nursing and Nutrition, University College Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
  2. 2 REHPA, The Danish Knowledge Centre for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care, University of Southern Denmark, Nyborg, Denmark
  3. 3 Faculty of Health, Department of Nursing and Nutrition, University College Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
  1. Correspondence to Mrs Karen Marie Sangild Stoelen, Faculty of Health, Research and Developement, Department of Nursing and Nutrition, University College Copenhagen, 1799 Kobenhavn, Denmark; kss3{at}kp.dk

Abstract

Background Given limited palliative care resources, volunteers can be viewed as essential. To better understand the contribution of volunteers, it is useful to look at their roles in care systems with high level of financed public welfare, such as those found in Nordic countries.

Aim To develop research-based knowledge of experiences related to volunteer roles in palliative care in Nordic countries with similar welfare systems.

Design Systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

Data sources Cinahl, APA PsycInfo, SocINDEX, Idunn, Cristin, SwePub, SweMed+, Doria and Danish Research Database from 2005 to 2020.

Eligibility criteria Qualitative peer-reviewed studies reporting first-hand experience of volunteers in palliative care in hospital, community (homecare and nursing home) and hospice settings (hospice institution and hospice home care); English abstract and available full text.

Results Of 1521 citations, 11 articles were included in the review: seven Norwegian articles, three Swedish articles and one Danish article. Three overall themes emerged from analysis: (1) volunteers offered something different than professionals, (2) volunteering took place in professionals’ domain, (3) volunteers were motivated by personal gains.

Conclusion Volunteers provide valuable support to patients and next of kin that differs from professionals’ support. Volunteers are motivated by direct interaction with patients and next of kin. Opportunities for interactions depend on the healthcare setting and professionals’ understandings of volunteers’ role. Formal training of volunteers is limited and supportive available professionals important to volunteers. Professionals’ understandings of volunteers’ role should be improved to strengthen volunteers’ role in palliative care in Nordic countries.

PROSPERO registration number CRD42020222695.

  • home care
  • social care
  • nursing home care
  • hospice care
  • supportive care

Data availability statement

Data are available in a public, open access repository. Not applicable.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2021-003330

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    Data availability statement

    Data are available in a public, open access repository. Not applicable.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors KW and MVG contributed equally to the conception of the review, the review design, search strategy, screenings and the final selection of studies. MR and BOB contributed with qualitative appraisal and discussed and comment on the synthesis of data. KMSS led the manuscript preparation and was involved in and responsible for all the processes of this manuscript.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.