The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative study
Abstract Background Visitor restrictions to healthcare facilities were enacted throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and changed over time. Further research on the consequences of restrictions, particularly in relation to palliative care and from multiple key stakeholder perspectives, is ne...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Palliative Care |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01803-5 |
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| author | Natasha Hanson Leanne Skerry Morgan Nesbitt Tracy Freeze Robin Williams Emily Love Julia Wildish |
| author_facet | Natasha Hanson Leanne Skerry Morgan Nesbitt Tracy Freeze Robin Williams Emily Love Julia Wildish |
| author_sort | Natasha Hanson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Visitor restrictions to healthcare facilities were enacted throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and changed over time. Further research on the consequences of restrictions, particularly in relation to palliative care and from multiple key stakeholder perspectives, is needed. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 visitor restrictions on family members of patients with a life limiting diagnosis or who received palliative care during the pandemic, and health care providers (HCPs) for patients with life limiting diagnoses within New Brunswick, Canada. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 family members and 11 HCPs. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to allow for the inductive generation of themes from the qualitative data, while investigating and comparing participants’ experiences. Results The analysis found that HCP and family member themes had a great deal of similarities. The themes developed for family members were: Visitor restrictions have negative impacts on palliative patients and their families; Visitor restrictions impacted patient-family care decisions and timing; Family members had more positive experiences when a patient-centred approach to care was used; Exceptions need to be made when it comes to palliative care and visitation; COVID restrictions didn’t make sense; and, COVID led to healthcare providers being further overextended. HCP themes developed were: COVID restrictions and policies impacted satisfaction with work life; The impact of not visiting on families was terrible; HCP had to figure out new ways of providing care; We believe that patients need their families; Patients are lonely and miss family; Weren’t always made clearly aware of the changes happening in hospital visitor restrictions; and, COVID restrictions led to people keeping loved ones at home. Conclusions Results unveiled dynamic relationships between HCPs and family members, whose perspectives on the impacts of visitor restrictions overlapped. Main findings emphasized the overall negative impacts of visitor restrictions and a clear need to enact policies with a particular focus on understanding the need for a flexible patient and family-centred approach and quality of life considerations. Clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders regarding policies is recommended, as well as consistent exceptions for patients with life-limiting diagnoses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ecbc87e05a9d42d3bdd27a9293b942e1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-684X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Palliative Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-ecbc87e05a9d42d3bdd27a9293b942e12025-08-20T04:01:42ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2025-07-0124111310.1186/s12904-025-01803-5The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative studyNatasha Hanson0Leanne Skerry1Morgan Nesbitt2Tracy Freeze3Robin Williams4Emily Love5Julia Wildish6Research Services, Horizon Health NetworkResearch Services, Horizon Health NetworkResearch Services, Horizon Health NetworkResearch Services, Horizon Health NetworkPalliative Care, Division of Pediatric Palliative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Western University and Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences CentrePalliative Care, Saint John Regional Hospital, Horizon Health NetworkPalliative Care, Saint John Regional Hospital, Horizon Health NetworkAbstract Background Visitor restrictions to healthcare facilities were enacted throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and changed over time. Further research on the consequences of restrictions, particularly in relation to palliative care and from multiple key stakeholder perspectives, is needed. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 visitor restrictions on family members of patients with a life limiting diagnosis or who received palliative care during the pandemic, and health care providers (HCPs) for patients with life limiting diagnoses within New Brunswick, Canada. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 family members and 11 HCPs. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to allow for the inductive generation of themes from the qualitative data, while investigating and comparing participants’ experiences. Results The analysis found that HCP and family member themes had a great deal of similarities. The themes developed for family members were: Visitor restrictions have negative impacts on palliative patients and their families; Visitor restrictions impacted patient-family care decisions and timing; Family members had more positive experiences when a patient-centred approach to care was used; Exceptions need to be made when it comes to palliative care and visitation; COVID restrictions didn’t make sense; and, COVID led to healthcare providers being further overextended. HCP themes developed were: COVID restrictions and policies impacted satisfaction with work life; The impact of not visiting on families was terrible; HCP had to figure out new ways of providing care; We believe that patients need their families; Patients are lonely and miss family; Weren’t always made clearly aware of the changes happening in hospital visitor restrictions; and, COVID restrictions led to people keeping loved ones at home. Conclusions Results unveiled dynamic relationships between HCPs and family members, whose perspectives on the impacts of visitor restrictions overlapped. Main findings emphasized the overall negative impacts of visitor restrictions and a clear need to enact policies with a particular focus on understanding the need for a flexible patient and family-centred approach and quality of life considerations. Clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders regarding policies is recommended, as well as consistent exceptions for patients with life-limiting diagnoses.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01803-5Palliative careCOVID-19 pandemicVisitor restrictionsQualitative researchEnd-of-life careHealthcare policy |
| spellingShingle | Natasha Hanson Leanne Skerry Morgan Nesbitt Tracy Freeze Robin Williams Emily Love Julia Wildish The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative study BMC Palliative Care Palliative care COVID-19 pandemic Visitor restrictions Qualitative research End-of-life care Healthcare policy |
| title | The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative study |
| title_full | The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative study |
| title_short | The impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the COVID-19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers: a Canadian qualitative study |
| title_sort | impacts of visitor restrictions for palliative patients during the covid 19 pandemic on family members and healthcare providers a canadian qualitative study |
| topic | Palliative care COVID-19 pandemic Visitor restrictions Qualitative research End-of-life care Healthcare policy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01803-5 |
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