Support group ‘support’ depends on many factors
Give endorsement to those willing to adhere
Support groups are initiated in several ways at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, WA. Many departments see the need for support groups within their patient population and launch them, such as those targeting diabetes patients, says Mary Paeth, MBA, RD, patient and family education coordinator.
Individuals identify a need as well. "I have staff members who have an interest in a certain disease and want to help those who suffer with it and they have presented programs and developed support groups," she reports. Also, outside groups can use education space if they are willing to sign a contract regarding room use and liability.
The hospital currently has several cancer support groups such as breast, prostate, kids with parents with cancer, and living with cancer. It also has support groups for patients with diabetes or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as Lou Gerig’s disease) and women going through menopause. A support group for cardiac patients was dropped because of poor attendance.
There are two types of support groups at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, NE. They include those that are sponsored by the health care facility and those that aren’t. The sponsored groups have a representative from the medical center that attends meetings. They also are required to collect data that include their topic of discussion at the meeting, number in attendance, and speaker.
The sponsored groups meet at the medical center, supply refreshments, and the educational department does their mailings. These groups also have access to all the hospital newsletters and publications as well as assistance in attaining speakers, says Barbara Petersen, RN, patient education coordinator at Great Plains.
"We do not want to run their meeting and do not take on the role of chairperson or owner of the committee, but do want to be able to give input and keep them from giving out false information if they are sponsored by our facility," she says. The hospital representatives act as a contact person for the support group and facilitator. They are paid to attend meetings.
The nonsponsored groups also receive meeting space at the medical facility, refreshments, and assistance with finding speakers. However, they are not required to keep statistics or have a hospital representative present at meetings, and they do their own mailings. The medical center will place meeting dates on its web site.
At present, Great Plains has seven sponsored groups that include hospice, diabetes, Bosom Buddies (breast cancer patients, families, and survivors), cancer support, cardiac support, sleep apnea, and pulmonary rehabilitation. There are 11 nonsponsored groups that include brain injury, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Seconds for Life (organ transplant group), arthritis support, fibromyalgia, caregivers, stroke, osteoporosis, ostomy, and gastric band and resection group.
What all successful groups have in common are individuals interested in keeping the groups active, which keeps attendance up, says Petersen. The ingredients for an effective group are a driven leader, organization, and a group of individuals willing to devote a small amount of time to their condition. "Support groups are a lot of work, but the ones that come and go are the ones without a leader with a passion for the topic or who is unwilling to give up a little time to devote to the success of the group."
Meeting space and time slots appropriate for the target population also contribute to the success of a group. Rooms must be handicap-accessible and have equipment appropriate for a meeting such as a VCR, slide projector, and grease board, says Petersen.
Time of day must be considered because seniors don’t like to come out at night, but working adults can’t attend meetings during regular business hours. "Knowing whether the patient population uses public transportation, cars, or relies on being dropped off determines where and when you schedule a group," says Paeth.
Weather patterns and holidays also must be taken into account. In Vancouver, the worst weather occurs in January and February, so support group meetings often are skipped during those months. The month of December usually has poor attendance as well due to the holidays, so the medical center often will have a big party instead of support groups. There will be food, demonstrations, and vendors on hand to give participants information on healthy gifts, meal ideas, and ways to live through the holidays with their disease issues.
To make sure groups are on track, Petersen frequently gets input from the group leaders or hospital contact people. Also, she looks at the statistical report she receives monthly from sponsored groups. She evaluates the attendance of each group yearly. "Low attendance does not necessarily mean a group needs to be dropped, but we look at all groups below four to six participants closely," she says. Sometimes a group that is floundering can get back on track by becoming more organized and publicizing meetings better.
Support groups are a means for ongoing education so essential for long-term compliance for patients with a chronic disease. "With many of these diseases, new information comes out frequently and a support group is a good way to find out about new medications, procedures, and devices," says Paeth.
Support groups also are a place where a patient’s holistic needs are addressed, says Donna Armstrong, RN, OCN, oncology nurse coordinator for education and outreach at Southwest Washington Medical Center. "Valida-tion of their feelings and total understanding from those who have been there or are presently there is a big part of why newly diagnosed cancer patients and other survivors want to come back," she says.
Feedback from group participants shows that support groups help people see they are not the only one with a particular problem, and they enjoy sharing ideas and knowledge, says Petersen.
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