Transition to an in-patient palliative care unit: Carers share their experiences

Background: For a carer, transitioning the care of a person who is dying to others may be a challenging experience. At this time, more than any other, carers' experiences need to be understood. The emotional impact of care transitions may have clinical significance for both carers and those they care for. Aim: To explore carers' experiences of the transition of the person they were caring for to in-patient care. Method: Carers reflected on their experiences through an explorative/descriptive research methodology. Results: Feelings of guilt and relief figured prominently in the participants' discourses. Conclusions: Prominent feelings of guilt and relief overshadowed the participants' experiences of transitioning care. This finding needs to be considered by care providers.