BMJ supportive & palliative care
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2013
End-of-life care in a population-based cohort of cancer patients: clinical trial participation versus standard of care.
To evaluate end-of-life care in a cohort of oncology patients in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, and compare differences between patients participating in clinical trials and those not in clinical trials. ⋯ Although opportunities for improvement exist, high quality end-of-life care was found in this study of patients with active malignancy. A majority (over 60%) of patients enrolled in hospice prior to death, 80% had a DNR status and only 2% received CPR. Although clinical trial participants received more aggressive treatments during the last 2 months of life, they did not appear to have lower quality end-of-life care.
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BMJ Support Palliat Care · Jun 2013
Exploring education and training needs among the palliative care workforce.
Education and training are seen as 'absolutely essential parts of providing palliative care'. As part of a larger study to explore the extent of palliative care need in two acute hospital settings, we report the perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding their training and educational needs. ⋯ Although important, the use of standardised care pathways alongside the provision of education and training for healthcare professionals alone will not improve quality of care. More work is needed to examine and clarify the interplay of: behaviour change, setting, the 'cure' orientation approach, type of health professional and nature of any educational intervention in order to effect sustained behavioural change.