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Table 2 Patients and relatives’ interview guide

From: Palliative care in the emergency department as seen by providers and users: a qualitative study

Theme 1: The clinical situation through the words of patients and relatives

The interviewer explores the problems that motivated the visit to the ED.

Sample question: “Could you please tell me about your clinical situation/ the situation of your loved one? Could you please tell me about the visit to the ED?”

Theme 2: Accessing the ED

The interviewer investigates on how the patient and relatives feel about the way HPs assessed the patient’s symptoms and the relationship established with the HPs.

Sample question: “Could you please tell who welcomed you? What questions did the HP ask you? Have the questions been asked directly to you or your family (if any)? How did you feel in that situation? What about the time dedicated to you/your loved one?”

Theme 3: The perceived quality of care

The interviewer explores the patient and relative’s perspective on the quality of the assistance received, by focusing on their perception of how physical symptoms were addressed, on attention HPs gave to psychological and spiritual aspects, and their information needs.

Sample questions: “Did the nursing staff meet appropriately the needs? How did they deal with your situation/the situation of your loved one? Did doctors, nurses and other team members take effectively care of the problems? Could you please tell me about the timing? What about the information they gave? Information about the nature of your/relatives’ problems? The therapies or treatments? Did you feel involved in the decisions about your/loved one’s health?”

Theme 4: Overall evaluation

The interviewer asks participants to comment on the experience at the ED.

Sample questions: “In your opinion, what is ‘quality’ care like? How do you evaluate the quality of care received at the ED?”