Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2021
Development of a Novel Communication Liaison Program to Support COVID-19 Patients and their Families.
In the spring of 2020, our hospital faced a surge of critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 patients, with intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy peaking at 204% of the baseline maximum capacity. In anticipation of this surge, we developed a remote communication liaison program to help the ICU and palliative care teams support families of critically ill patients. ⋯ We report here the primary elements needed to reproduce and scale this program in other hospitals facing similar ICU surges, including a checklist for replication (Appendix I). Keys to success include strong logistical support, clinical reference material designed for rapid evolution, and a liaison team structure with peer coaching.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2021
Review Meta AnalysisClinically Significant Depressive Symptoms are Prevalent in People with Extremely Short Prognoses - A Systematic Review.
Currently, systematic evidence of the prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms in people with extremely short prognoses is not available to inform its global burden, assessment, and management. ⋯ Clinically, significant depressive symptoms were prevalent in people with advanced life-limiting illnesses and extremely short prognoses. Clinicians need to be proactive in the recognition and assessment of these symptoms to allow for timely intervention.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2021
Review Meta AnalysisPrevalence of Fatigue in Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Fatigue is a particularly common and troubling symptom that has a negative impact on quality of life throughout all phases of treatment and stages of the illness among patients with cancer. ⋯ This meta-analysis highlights the importance of developing optimal monitoring strategies to reduce fatigue and improve the quality of life of patients with cancer.