Family caregiver learning—how family caregivers learn to provide care at the end of life: A qualitative secondary analysis of four datasets

Background: Family caregivers are assuming growing responsibilities in providing care to dying family members. Supporting them is fundamental to ensure quality end-of-life care and to buffer potentially negative outcomes, although family caregivers frequently acknowledge a deficiency of information, knowledge, and skills necessary to assume the tasks involved in this care. Aim: The aim of this inquiry was to explore how family caregivers describe learning to provide care to palliative patients. Design: Secondary analysis of data from four qualitative studies (n = 156) with family caregivers of dying people. Data sources: Data included qualitative interviews with 156 family caregivers of dying people. Results: Family caregivers learn through the following processes: trial and error, actively seeking needed information and guidance, applying knowledge and skills from previous experience, and reflecting on their current experiences. Caregivers generally preferred and appreciated a supported or guided learning process that involved being shown or told by others, usually learning reactively after a crisis. Conclusions: Findings inform areas for future research to identify effective, individualized programs and interventions to support positive learning experiences for family caregivers of dying people.