Introduction/Statement of Problem
VITAS Healthcare is a hospice founded in 1798 in Florida, US, and now it offers its services throughout America in fourteen different states (VITAS Healthcare, n.d. a). The organization preserves patients’ dignity and provides end-of-life care to terminally ill patients (VITAS Healthcare, n.d. a). It offers spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional relief to patients and their families. Further, the agency is to advocate for the rights of end-of-life patients and their families. The organization’s mission is to provide patients with limited time to live and their loved ones with the highest quality case management, human services, and products (VITAS Healthcare, n.d. a). The primary population served by the organization is terminally ill patients who have less than six months to live and their families.
The researcher will conduct process evaluations to provide an overview of VITAS Healthcare’s work. This approach will explore whether the organization’s activities meet the goals set. Moreover, hospice evaluation aids in gathering information on the characteristics, support, and program costs. It enables health systems to identify the needs of palliative patients and create relevant, patient-centered social support and treatment options (VITAS Healthcare, n.d. b). The VITAS Healthcare agency staff can use program evaluation information to establish the best care for individual patients and their families.
The goal of VITAS Healthcare is to preserve the quality of life of terminally ill Americans who have less than six months to live. The objectives of the organization are (1) VITAS Healthcare will provide free support services to its partners in specialty and private practices, care facilities, and hospitals between 2022-2023; (2) The agency will relieve each patient and their families spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental suffering for six months before they die; (3) VITAS will promote the independence and dignity of patients and help them find 100 percent personal fulfillment in the six months’ palliative care period.
The researcher employs the logic model for the evaluation proposal (see table below). VITAS’ operations are analyzed within such fields as input or resources; activities carried out to achieve goals, outputs, outcomes, and the program’s impact. Such an evaluation approach helps a researcher perform a structured and comprehensive interpretation of the research results.
Methods and Data Collection
The researcher will follow a quantitative approach and use a survey research design. The survey implies the collection of data through the use of a questionnaire. The method allows a deeper understanding of the intangible aspects of the care provided, such as patient and staff relationships, service satisfaction, and other issues (Kelley-Quon, 2018).
A questionnaire on the quality of end-of-life care for family members will be applied to collect the data for analysis. The University of Washington (n.d.) developed this tool with several other questionnaires to assess end-of-life care.
The study will apply a snowball sampling method to engage participants. Method’s necessity is dictated by the potential vulnerability and desire for anonymity of families experiencing a loss (Parker et al., 2019).
The minimum number of participants from the target audience is 30 people. The researcher will attract family members of patients in VITAS Healthcare, addressing some of them and expressing a request to involve other families with whom they may know.
The survey will be conducted online on a special platform using a link invitation.
The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) will be used to analyze the data obtained.
Limitations and Ethical Consideration
The selected sampling method can imply selection bias, as it heavily relies on the researcher’s opportunities to establish contacts and engage participants.
The survey will be anonymous to preserve the confidentiality of the study participants and will require consent to use the information.
Conclusion
The current study will conduct a process evaluation of VITAS Healthcare, an organization providing end-of-life care. Following the survey design, the data will be collected using the quality of end-of-life care for family members questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. The researcher will apply the snowball method to attract a sample of at least 30 people. The target audience is families whose relatives received care at VITAS Healthcare. The researcher will take measures to protect their privacy through the anonymity of the questionnaire.
References
Kelley-Quon, L. I. (2018). Surveys: Merging qualitative and quantitative research methods.Seminars in Pediatric Surgery, 27(6), 361-366. Web.
Parker, C., Scott, S., & Geddes, A. (2019). Snowball sampling. SAGE Research Methods Foundations. 1-13. Web.
The University of Washington. (n.d.). Instruments. End-of-Life Care Research Program at UW School of Medicine. Web.
VITAS Healthcare. (n.d. a). Values, mission, and vision. Web.
VITAS Healthcare. (n.d. b). Partner organizations. Web.