Referral Relationship: Illuminating the Ways Palliative Care Creates a Holding Environment for Referring Clinicians.

TitleReferral Relationship: Illuminating the Ways Palliative Care Creates a Holding Environment for Referring Clinicians.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2022
AuthorsBrenner KO, Logeman J, Rosenberg LB, Shalev D, Jackson VA, Seaton M, Jacobsen JC, Emanuel LL
JournalJ Palliat Med
Volume25
Issue2
Pagination185-192
Date Published2022 Feb
ISSN1557-7740
KeywordsFemale, Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing, Humans, Neoplasms, Oncologists, Palliative Care, Referral and Consultation
Abstract

Palliative care supports referring colleagues in multiples ways. This support to referring colleagues is not often explored in the literature, yet the psychological concept that best describes it is the holding environment. The holding environment is the relational space palliative care offers referring clinicians for processing emotions and information. Using the case of Gloria, a patient living with cancer, this article discusses ways palliative care creates a holding environment for her referring oncologist, Dr. Ko. As palliative care clinicians, we create this relational space for referring clinicians when we change the dynamic, accompany the clinician, recognize challenges, establish expectations, and share a clinical second look. This article is the sixth in a series exploring the psychological elements of palliative care.

DOI10.1089/jpm.2021.0527
Alternate JournalJ Palliat Med
PubMed ID35020480