A consensual qualitative research analysis of the experience of inmate hospice caregivers: Posttraumatic growth while incarcerated

ABSTRACT

A growing number of correctional facilities train inmates to provide end-of-life care for dying inmates. This study explores the phenomenological perspective of inmate-caregivers participating in an inmate-facilitated hospice program (IFHP) with regard to meaning and purpose in life, attitudes on death and dying, and perceived personal impact of participation. Twenty-two inmate-caregivers were interviewed at a maximum-security state correctional facility in the United States. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the Consensual Qualitative Research Methodology. Results suggest that participating in an IFHP may facilitate personal growth and transformation that mirrors the tenets of posttraumatic growth.

Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to Shelly Marabella and Mark Scrivanni. Thank you for your hard work, support, and dedication. Without you both, this project would not have been possible. Also, a special thanks to the correctional staff that worked with us to organize the approval of the project and the logistics of our visit. Finally, we thank the gentlemen who participated in this project. Thank you for sharing your stories and for continuing to care for your brothers until their last breath.