Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2014
Aggressiveness of end-of-life care for patients with colorectal cancer in Alberta, Canada: 2006-2009.
North American studies have documented practice variations and deficiencies in end-of-life (EOL) cancer care, such as trends toward treating dying patients aggressively and disparities in access to palliative care or hospice services. ⋯ The percentage of patients who died in an acute care hospital is higher than the 17% U.S. benchmark. Other indicators of receiving aggressive EOL care are consistent with existing care quality benchmarks. The considerable regional variation, however, indicates potential for system improvements.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2014
Self-reported physical symptoms in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors: pilot exploration over four months post-ICU discharge.
Survivors of critical illness must overcome persistent physical and psychological challenges. Few studies have longitudinally examined self-reported physical symptoms in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. ⋯ In our sample, sleep disturbance, fatigue, weakness, and pain were the four key symptoms during first four months post-ICU discharge. Future studies focusing on these four symptoms are necessary to promote quality in post-ICU symptom management.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2014
Predictive factors for do-not-resuscitate designation among terminally ill cancer patients receiving care from a palliative care consultation service.
Since the development of palliative care in the 1980s, "do not resuscitate" (DNR) has been promoted worldwide to avoid unnecessary resuscitation in terminally ill cancer patients. ⋯ DNR designation was late in terminally ill cancer patients. DNR-designated cancer patient indicators were high PPI scores, patients' prognostic awareness, family's diagnostic and prognostic awareness, and longer durations of care by the PCCS.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2014
Advance care planning and physician orders in nursing home residents with dementia: a nationwide retrospective study among professional caregivers and relatives.
Advance care planning (ACP) is key to good palliative care for nursing home (NH) residents with dementia. ⋯ Communication regarding care is rarely patient driven and more often professional caregiver or family driven. The level of congruence between professional caregivers and relatives is low.