Current opinion in supportive and palliative care
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This article provides an update on the recent research and evidence regarding quality in end-of-life (EOL) discussions with a focus on the care of a person with cancer. ⋯ There is greater use of quality metrics as patient outcomes among studies examining EOL discussions. System-wide approaches to improving EOL discussions should include standardized documentation templates that are widely accessible in electronic medical records.
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Curr Opin Support Palliat Care · Mar 2015
ReviewPalliative and supportive care needs of heart failure patients in Africa: a review of recent developments.
Despite the rising prevalence of heart failure in Africa, it remains unclear what supportive and palliative care services are required to meet patient needs. This review highlights recent contributions to knowledge of the supportive and palliative care needs of heart failure patients in Africa. ⋯ http://links.lww.com/COSPC/A9
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Curr Opin Support Palliat Care · Mar 2015
ReviewPalliative care issues in heart transplant candidates.
Heart failure is a serious condition and equivalent to malignant disease in terms of symptoms burden and mortality. Presently, only a comparatively small number of heart failure patients receive specialized palliative care. A literature search was conducted with the terms, palliative care and heart failure, using the electronic databases of PubMed and MEDLINE. ⋯ Diminishing quality of life prevails throughout the course of chronic heart failure. Therefore, palliative care should be integrated into heart failure management. Heart transplant candidates may benefit from early palliative care involvement independent of the clinical course and outcome. Because of gaps in current scientific literature on palliative care, end-of-life care, and hospice care and the services rendered, further research is necessary to encourage healthcare professionals to introduce palliative care as an early resource in chronic disease progression.
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Curr Opin Support Palliat Care · Mar 2015
ReviewBurden of caring: risks and consequences imposed on caregivers of those living and dying with advanced heart failure.
To summarize the latest research on the risks and consequences of the burden that may be imposed on informal carers of persons living and dying with advanced heart failure. ⋯ Caregivers are important partners in care and their lives are seriously affected by the condition of advanced heart failure. Studies on the longitudinal effects of the caregiving role on caregiver's quality of life and on caregiver contributions to patient outcomes is still scarce. Focus of current research is moving towards relationship aspects. Dyadic-care typologies and the concept of incongruence within dyads in terms of conflicting perspectives on how to manage the heart failure are new and important concepts presented in studies presented in this review. Heart failure patients and their caregivers still lack sufficient palliative care and communication on prognosis and end-of-life care. More research is needed to determine the optimal time to start palliative interventions to support caregivers of patients with advanced heart failure.
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Curr Opin Support Palliat Care · Mar 2015
ReviewHeart failure and palliative care: training needs assessment to guide priority learning of multiprofessionals working across different care settings.
International bodies acknowledge that palliative care principles and access to palliative care services should be offered to persons living with and dying from advanced illness such as heart failure. Without an appropriately trained workforce, however, appropriate goals of care and associated reductions in hospital utilizations may not be feasible.Marie Curie Cancer Care, British Heart Foundation Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are working in partnership to improve the quality and access to palliative care for patients and their caregivers living with and dying from advanced heart failure. A training needs assessment has been undertaken as part of this programme in order to inform the development of training specific to heart failure and palliative care. ⋯ Well trained professionals will improve the coordination, earlier identification, quality of care provision and communication between all stakeholders. In doing so, the opportunity to facilitate preferred care wishes and preferred place of care for patients and families is optimised. Without this aligning, clinical practice with national guidance is not feasible.