Collaboration between the specialties in provision of end-of-life care for all in the UK: reality or utopia?

The UK End of Life Care Strategy (EoLCS) requires specialist palliative care services to contribute to end-of-life care for all. This systematic review aims to critically appraise literature published in the UK to identify how specialist palliative care professionals can collaborate with other health professionals within four of the key National Service Framework areas: heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neurological conditions, and dementia. Relevant literature was identified by electronic searches of various databases and websites and via secondary sources. A limited amount of quality research was found. Thematic analysis was applied and the over-riding themes were barriers to collaboration, organizational issues, and patients' and carers' views. The review concludes that when a collaborative approach to care is used, quality end-of-life care is achieved. Each disease pathway needs greater clarity regarding how it links with the EoLCS.     

Are written advance directives helpful to guide end-of-life therapy in the intensive care unit? A retrospective matched-cohort study

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to determine whether treatment preferences in patients' advance directives (ADs) are associated with life-supporting treatments received during end-of-life care in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Material and methods

This is a retrospective cohort study, including patients who died in 4 ICUs of a university hospital in Germany. Patients with ADs were matched with 2 patients each without ADs using propensity scores.

Results

Sixty-four (13%) of 477 patients had ADs, written a median of 109 weeks before admission. Five categories of applicability conditions were identified, most of them difficult to interpret in the ICU (eg, “advanced brain impairment” or “imminent death”). Advance directives contained a number of treatment refusals. Specifically, 63 of 64 refused “life-sustaining measures.” Compared to patients without ADs, patients with ADs were less likely to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (9% vs 23%, P = .029) and more likely to have do-not-resuscitate orders (77% vs 56%, P = .007). Therapy-limiting decisions and ICU length of stay did not differ between those with or without ADs.

Conclusions

Patients with ADs are less likely to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation but otherwise receive similar life-sustaining treatments compared to matched patients without ADs. More research is needed to explore reasons for potential noncompliance with patient preferences.     

Bereaved family members' assessments of the quality of end-of-life care: what is important?

Families of patients are well poised to comment on the end-of-life (EOL) care received by those patients and can provide feedback to care providers and decision makers. To better understand family-member evaluations of the quality of in-patient EOL care, this study draws on qualitative interview data (n = 24) to identify core aspects of EOL care that are important for family members. Based on this analysis, a conceptual framework of family members' assessments of their experiences with EOL health care services is developed. Findings suggest the need to distinguish between perceived substantive or tangible features of received care, interpretations of the causes and symbolic meanings of that care, and personal and affective outcomes. Practitioners are encouraged to reflect on how behaviours and communications may be interpreted by families. Attention also needs to be given to the changes in practice and organizational decision making that can facilitate more positive experiences for families and patients.     

Delirium in the intensive care unit: are we helping the patient?

The intensive care unit (ICU) represents a dynamic interaction between patient factors and interventional factors. The complexity of this situation can generate an impaired consciousness in the patients. The critical care provider is faced with deducing the etiology and treatment of delirium in the ICU. Many of the therapeutic agents that are used in the ICU may precipitate delirium. Patients may also experience delirium as part of their underlying medical conditions. Withdrawal syndromes, delirium tremens in particular, are known to cause delirium. By a combination of appropriate selection of medications and an awareness of delirium as a side effect, the patient in the ICU may be treated in a manner to minimize the clouding of consciousness. An understanding of the proposed pathophysiology of various types of delirium will allow appropriate clinical measures to be taken.     

Pro/Con debate: Are barrier precautions cost-effective in improving patient outcomes in the intensive care unit?

You are responsible for a large medical surgical ICU. Your hospital administration has been very focused on reducing rates of hospital-acquired infections particularly in the wake of increasing public attention. However, it is time for budget preparation and your financial officer is concerned about the escalating costs associated with patient isolation and barrier precautions/personal protective equipment. Having become aware of the high costs associated with these interventions, you start to wonder about the wisdom of spending so much in this area. Your hospital administration wants your direction on next year's expenditures. You are debating whether the expense is worthwhile and advise your hospital administration accordingly.     

Telemedicine in the intensive care unit: A vehicle to improve quality of care?

The high demand for intensive care, which is predicted to further increase in the future, is contrasted by a shortage of trained intensivists and specialized nurses. Telemedicine has been heralded as a promising solution. Yet, there is considerable heterogeneity in tele-critical care when it comes to measurable effects. However, the focus has been on telemedical solutions substituting on-site intensivist functions, and outcome measures have primarily been mortality and length of stay. In a new model of telemedicine for the ICU, telemedicine could be used to increase adherence to best practice guidelines and indicators of process quality. Further, indicators of process quality, functional outcomes and quality of life measures should be incorporated in the evaluation of outcomes, as patients frequently value those higher than mere survival.     

Are religion and religiosity important to end-of-life decisions and patient autonomy in the ICU? The Ethicatt study

Purpose

This study explored differences in end-of-life (EOL) decisions and respect for patient autonomy of religious members versus those only affiliated to that particular religion (affiliated is a member without strong religious feelings).

Methods

In 2005 structured questionnaires regarding EOL decisions were distributed in six European countries to ICUs in 142 hospital ICUs. This sub-study of the original data analyzed answers from Protestants, Catholics and Jews.

Results

A total of 304 physicians, 386 nurses, 248 patients and 330 family members were included in the study. Professionals wanted less treatment (ICU admission, CPR, ventilator treatment) than patients and family members. Religious respondents wanted more treatment and were more in favor of life prolongation, and they were less likely to want active euthanasia than those affiliated. Southern nurses and doctors favored euthanasia more than their Northern colleagues. Three quarters of doctors and nurses would respect a competent patient’s refusal of a potentially life-saving treatment. No differences were found between religious and affiliated professionals regarding patient’s autonomy. Inter-religious differences were detected, with Protestants most likely to follow competent patients’ wishes and the Jewish respondents least likely to do so, and Jewish professionals more frequently accepting patients’ wishes for futile treatment. However, these findings on autonomy were due to regional differences, not religious ones.

Conclusions

Health-care professionals, families and patients who are religious will frequently want more extensive treatment than affiliated individuals. Views on active euthanasia are influenced by both religion and region, whereas views on patient autonomy are apparently more influenced by region.     

The interpretation of train-of-four monitoring in intensive care: what about the muscle site and the current intensity?

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of current intensity and choice of the stimulated muscle group on train-of-four (TOF) interpretation in the intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN AND SETTING: Intervention study in a surgical intensive care unit. PATIENTS: 13 ventilated patients requiring prolonged muscle relaxation. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Prior to blockade TOF responses of left and right orbicularis oculi, adductor pollicis, and plantar flexors were recorded by setting the current intensity at 20, 40, 60, and 80 mA. The minimal current intensity (MCI) providing a supramaximal response was then identified for each muscle. Cisatracurium was then infused aiming to continuously observe a TOF at 2/4 on the left orbicularis oculi at 40 mA. The responses to TOF on all the muscle sites were further recorded at 40, 60, and 80 mA when the endpoint was reached for the first time, and after a 48-h infusion. After cessation of infusion the delay to observe 4/4 responses at TOF was recorded at each site at 40 mA or at MCI if MCI was above 40 mA. MCI did not differ between muscle groups. When the fixed endpoint was reached for the first time on left orbicularis oculi, the TOF response at 40 mA on right orbicularis oculi differed significantly. In contrast, no difference was observed between left and right sides at 40 mA at the other sites, nor at any sites at 60 and 80 mA. The TOF response on orbicularis oculi (left and right sides together) was different at 40 mA, compared to 60 and 80 mA. TOF responses at orbicularis oculi at 60 or 80 mA significantly differed from responses on adductor pollicis or plantar flexor, orbicularis oculi being less sensitive to cisatracurium than adductor pollicis or plantar flexor. After a 48-h infusion the same differences in sensitivities were observed between the muscle groups. At any current intensity the recovery was slower at adductor pollicis than at orbicularis oculi or plantar flexor. CONCLUSIONS: For a good TOF interpretation in the ICU the current intensity should be tested before onset of blockade. The orbicularis oculi is less sensitive to cisatracurium than adductor pollicis and plantar flexor both at onset and after a prolonged infusion. The recovery from relaxation is faster on orbicularis oculi and plantar flexor than on adductor pollicis.     

Measuring and accounting for the intensity of nursing care: is it worthwhile?

In June 2007, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored a conference titled "The Economics of Nursing: Paying for Quality Nursing Care." The second topic at the conference was "the appropriateness and feasibility of measuring and accounting for the intensity of nursing care." Drs. Welton and Sermeus presented papers on that topic. This response to those papers focuses on why the hospital industry has not always accounted for and measured nursing intensity. Then it asks, "Why do we want more accurate information about nursing resources used by different patients?" It is not sufficient to say the data regarding nursing costs are not accurate. Nor is it sufficient to say that we now can improve the accuracy of the data. To move forward in this area, we need to develop compelling evidence and arguments that indicate that nursing-cost data of greater accuracy have a benefit that will exceed the costs of that data collection.     

Families’ perspectives of participation in patient care in an adult intensive care unit: A qualitative study

BackgroundWhen a relative is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), stress, anxiety, and failure to cope may place families, and the patient, at risk for adverse psychological outcomes. Family participation in patient care may improve patient and family outcomes. However, to date, little is known about how families perceive and participate in patient care in ICU, and there is limited research to guide clinicians about supporting family participation in this context.ObjectiveTo describe family perspectives of participation in patient care in adult ICU.MethodsUsing a qualitative design, observation and interview data were collected from a convenience sample of 30 family members in the ICU at two metropolitan hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. An independent third party was used to recruit potential participants. Naturalistic observations and semi-structured interviews explored families’ actions and perceptions of participation. Data were integrated and subject to thematic analyses.FindingsThe major theme Families as part of the healthcare team reflected family perspectives of their own significant contribution to supporting their relative’s recovery while they were in ICU. Families' perception of their participation in patient care was characterised by three sub-themes: 1) Motivators for family participation; 2) Family roles during recovery; and 3) Influences on family participation. Families' perceived reassurance and companionship as important contributions to patient care.ConclusionFamilies perceived their contribution to the patient's psychosocial and emotional well-being to be one of the most important aspects of participation. Nevertheless, their role in the healthcare team was influenced by several motivational factors. Results of this study can inform further research to test the effectiveness of clinical practice and educational interventions aligned with family preferences to promote participation and enhance patient and family-centered care in ICU.