Background: The end of life and death have changed from being issues managed within the family, assumed as part of life, to occur within health institutions for the majority of patients. The amount of patients dying at home has decreased, and the roles of families and communities in death and dying have become involuted, threatening related traditions and knowledge. As a result, a need to promote the end of life at home in this new self-serving society has arisen. In that context, the main objective of this study was to find out what patients and their families need during the end-of-life process in order to feel effectively accompanied at this time. Methods: With that objective, a descriptive qualitative study was conducted via the content analysis of data from semi-structured interviews and focus groups. This research adhered to the COREQ guidelines. The sample consisted of 36 informants selected via intentional sampling of family members and patients integrated into the Comprehensive Palliative Care Process (PAI Paliativos). Results: The results suggest the existence of several common needs such as communication and presence, including the conspiracy of silence as an important factor generating suffering for both. However, there are specific needs such as autonomy, dignity, and respect for patients, which must be taken into account. Conclusions: The results of this study will allow us to establish intervention strategies for effective accompaniment of patients’ family members at the end of life and the avoidance of ethnocentrism in this process. This study was retrospectively registered with the (nursrep-1194226) on the (21 April 2023).

The current demographic panorama in Spain corresponds to an aging population; this situation is characterized by the need to care for an elderly population, which contains polymedicated and pluripathological individuals. Polymedication is a criterion of frailty in the elderly and a risk factor for mortality and morbidity due to the increased risk of drug interactions and medication errors. There are numerous studies that measure reconciliation at hospital discharge and at admission, and even the methodology of reconciliation, but we have not found many studies that measure reconciliation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of view of health professionals regarding difficulties and the strategies carried out, which is essential to begin to glimpse solutions. Methods. This was a qualitative study based on 21 in-depth interviews and two discussion groups, conducted between January and April 2021 (13 nurses and 8 doctors, in rural and urban areas). The discourse was analyzed according to the Taylor–Bodgan model and processed using Atlas.ti software. Results. The areas altered by the health crisis were access to patients, their reconciliation of medication, and changes in the care modality, including the greater use of telephone communication, changes in work organization, and time dedicated to patient care and family work. Difficulties encountered during COVID-19: change in medication format, the specific characteristics of the patient and their pathologies, and difficulties arising from communication with the patient and their family. The strategies applied: the collaboration of home assistants and caregivers, emphasis on patient–health professional communication, and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Conclusion. The discharge was interrupted by the health crisis caused by COVID-19, in terms of both the traditional access of patients and by the remote care modalities generated by telemedicine.

Background/Objectives: Student distress is diverse and manifests itself in a variety of ways. Driven by the constant pressure to meet academic and personal expectations, many students experience a deep sense of insufficiency and hopelessness. Anxiety and depression are widespread and are often accompanied by self-critical thoughts and feelings of worthlessness. Seeking temporary relief that often exacerbates their long-term struggles, some students resort to self-harm as a way to manage their emotional pain. Methods: This study employs an exploratory qualitative design with a phenomenological approach to deeply examine students’ experiences of suffering. Using semi-structured interviews, the study captures detailed narratives from 17 purposely selected students, providing a rich understanding of their lived experiences. Adhering to COREQ guidelines (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies). Results: The analysis identified four main themes: the concept of suffering, its causes, students’ responses, and coping strategies. Eleven sub-themes were identified, highlighting the significant challenges students face, including low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and self-harm. These problems are increased by academic stress and social pressure derived from the intensive use of social networks. The constant social comparison and the search for external validation on social networks generate feelings of inadequacy and emotional exhaustion. Students often lack effective strategies to manage these pressures. In addition, bullying and the absence of meaningful relationships in the academic environment increase their suffering. Conclusions: This study provides a novel contribution by focusing on the lived experiences of nursing students and emphasizing the importance of the compassionate university model as a framework for addressing student suffering. It highlights the urgent need to implement strategies for support and compassion in educational institutions centred on emotional management, presence, listening, and specific mindfulness and stress management programmes. Additionally, fostering healthier and more mindful use of social media is crucial to help students manage their expectations, reduce their suffering, and cultivate self-compassion.

Objectives: The concept of total suffering is widely recognized in palliative care (PC), encompassing a range of interconnected and complex factors that collectively shape the evolving and individualized experience of a patient’s illness journey. Studies on will to live (WtL) in terminally ill patients have demonstrated its variability over time and various factors that influence these changes. Methods: To objectively investigate the concept of total suffering and WtL; including their fluctuation over time and associations with sociodemographic, clinical, physical, and psychological symptoms in a sample of individuals with life-limiting conditions receiving PC. This multicenter Iberian study involved 3 centers in Portugal and 1 in Spain. A total of 107 individuals with life-limiting conditions consented to participate. To capture the dynamic and multifaceted components of total suffering, we had each participant completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) along an additional WtL visual analogue once daily over a 30-day period. Results: WtL demonstrated various patterns over time. While some patterns reflected relative stability, other demonstrated substantive fluctuation during the course of illness. Significant correlations were observed between WtL and all other ESAS items. Moderate positive correlations were found between WtL and total ESAS score and its physical and psychological sub-scores. Spearman’s correlation coefficients between all physical and psychosocial items on the ESAS were statistically significant across all 45 correlations performed, with only 5 showing moderate strength; the remaining correlations were weaker. Significance of results: Evidence-based understanding of WtL is critical to improving care for patients who experience suffering toward end-of-life and their families. Further research is needed to inform and refine interventions targeting total suffering.