The American journal of hospice & palliative care
-
Although home hospice organizations provide essential care for and support to terminally ill patients, many day-to-day caregiving responsibilities fall to informal (ie, unpaid) caregivers. Studies have shown that caregivers value receiving clear information about end-of-life (EoL) care. Meeting the information needs of this group is critical in improving their experience in hospice. ⋯ Our study indicates that approximately half of the informal caregivers had unmet information needs. Further research is needed to identify efficacious strategies to best meet the information needs of this group. Specific topics that need emphasis include what hospice care is, what to expect at the EoL, and what level of support hospice offers.
-
Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Mar 2019
Multicenter StudyA Retrospective Chart Review of Transfusion Practices in the Palliative Care Unit Setting.
There remains limited data in the literature on the frequency, clinical utility and effectiveness of transfusions in palliative care, with no randomized controlled trials or clinical practice guidelines on this topic. There are no routinely accepted practices in place for the appropriate transfusion of blood products in this setting. ⋯ Transfusions in the palliative care units were infrequent, symptom targeted, and well tolerated, though the lack of standardized pre/post assessment tools limits any ability to draw conclusions about utility. Patients would benefit from additional research in this area and the development of clinical practice guidelines for transfusions in palliative care.
-
Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Mar 2019
Do Electronic Medical Records Improve Advance Directive Documentation? A Systematic Review.
Documentation rates of advance directives (ADs) remain low. Using electronic medical records (EMRs) could help, but a synthesis of evidence is currently lacking. ⋯ Limited evidence suggests EMRs could be used to help address AD documentation challenges but may also create additional problems. Stronger evidence is needed to more conclusively determine how EMR may assist in population approaches to improving AD documentation.
-
Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Feb 2019
Quality Improvement Initiatives to Reduce Mortality: An Opportunity to Engage Palliative Care and Improve Advance Care Planning.
Despite substantial efforts to integrate palliative care and improve advance care planning, both are underutilized. Quality improvement initiatives focused on reducing mortality may offer an opportunity for facilitating engagement with palliative care and advance care planning. ⋯ Clinicians who participated in an initiative to reduce AMI mortality highlighted the challenges associated with decision-making regarding interventions, systems for documenting patient goals of care, and broader engagement with palliative care. Quality improvement initiatives focused on mortality may offer a meaningful and feasible opportunity for engaging palliative care. Primary palliative care training is needed to improve discussions about patient and family goals of care near the end of life.
-
Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Feb 2019
Advance Care Planning in Community: An Evaluation of a Pilot 2-Session, Nurse-Led Workshop.
Engaging patients in advance care planning (ACP) is challenging but crucial to improving the quality of end-of-life care. Group visits and multiple patient-clinician interactions may promote advance directive (AD) completion. ⋯ The ACP workshop was well received by participants and increased ACP readiness, discussion, and completion. Attendance at the workshop was low and barriers to attending workshops must be explored.