Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
Increased number of deaths within 24 h of admission during a period of social restriction related to the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective service evaluation in a metropolitan palliative care unit.
COVID-19 has led to implementation of wide-ranging social restriction measures with consequent impact on health care utilisation in many domains. There is little published data on the experience of palliative care services catering to a population with low case numbers of COVID-19. ⋯ Increased numbers of deaths within 24 h of admission occurred on the palliative care unit despite low COVID-19 case numbers in the wider community, and in the setting of widespread social restriction measures. More research is needed examining the health-related consequences of such restrictions for individuals not infected with COVID-19.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
Case ReportsIntranasal dexmedetomidine: Procedural sedation in palliative care: A case report.
This report describes the use of intranasal dexmedetomidine to control incident pain and facilitate daily change of dressing in a patient with cutaneous breast cancer. ⋯ Intranasal dexmedetomidine is a potentially useful medication for procedural sedation in the management of complex wound dressings. It provides rousable short-term sedation, anxiolysis and analgesia. Further research into the role of intranasal dexmedetomidine to facilitate challenging dressing changes in a community setting is warranted.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
Smiles behind the masks: A systematic review and narrative synthesis exploring how family members of seriously ill or dying patients are supported during infectious disease outbreaks.
Infection control measures during infectious disease outbreaks can have significant impacts on seriously ill and dying patients, their family, the patient-family connection, coping, grief and bereavement. ⋯ Learning from previous infectious disease outbreaks about how family are supported can be translated to the current COVID-19 pandemic and future infectious disease outbreaks. Consistent, culturally sensitive and tailored plans should be clearly communicated to family members, including when any restrictions may be amended or additional supports provided when someone is dying.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2021
Multicenter Study Observational StudyBereaved relatives' quality of life before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the prospective, multicenter, observational eQuiPe study.
The death of a loved one is considered as one of the most stressful life events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, grief processes are potentially affected by measures such as social distancing and self-quarantine. ⋯ On the short-term, the COVID-19 pandemic did not have significant impact on bereaved relatives' wellbeing. However, long-term impact of the pandemic on their wellbeing should be assessed.