scholarly journals Changing End-of-Life Care Practice for Liver Transplant Recipients: A Palliative Care Intervention in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) (412-A)

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 496
2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 495-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Squier ◽  
John D. Rihs ◽  
Kathleen J. Risa ◽  
Asia Sagnimeni ◽  
Marilyn M. Wagener ◽  
...  

Background:The role of rectal carriage ofStaphylococcus aureusas a risk factor for nosocomialS. aureusinfections in critically ill patients has not been fully discerned.Methods:Nasal and rectal swabs forS. aureuswere obtained on admission and weekly thereafter until discharge or death from 204 consecutive patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit and liver transplant unit.Results:Overall, 49.5% (101 of 204) of the patients never harboredS. aureus, 21.6% (44 of 204) were nasal carriers only, 3.4% (7 of 204) were rectal carriers only, and 25.5% (52 of 204) were both nasal and rectal carriers. Infections due toS. aureusdeveloped in 15.7% (32 of 204) of the patients; these included 3% (3 of 101) of the non-carriers, 18.2% (8 of 44) of the nasal carriers only, 0% (0 of 7) of the rectal carriers only, and 40.4% (21 of 52) of the patients who were both nasal and rectal carriers (P= .001). Patients with both rectal and nasal carriage were significantly more likely to developS. aureusinfection than were those with nasal carriage only (odds ratio, 3.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.18 to 7.85;P= .025). By pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, the infecting rectal and nasal isolates were clonally identical in 82% (14 of 17) of the patients withS. aureusinfections.Conclusions:Rectal carriage represents an underappreciated reservoir forS. aureusin patients in the intensive care unit and liver transplant recipients. Rectal plus nasal carriage may portend a greater risk forS. aureusinfections in these patients than currently realized.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 3673-3679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Theodoropoulos ◽  
Barbara Bolstorff ◽  
Adel Bozorgzadeh ◽  
Christina Brandeburg ◽  
Melissa Cumming ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Aliki Karapliagou ◽  
Allan Kellehear ◽  
Klaus Wegleitner

This chapter briefly outlines the history, key concepts, and main practice methods from public health approaches to end-of-life care. Although linked to psychosocial care approaches, its main methods draw not from psychology or health services inspired approaches but rather from health promotion, community development, and civic engagement. Key methods covered include community volunteering, social networking, community engagement, and compassionate communities and cities. The aim of these kinds of approaches is to embed palliative care practice as a social and civic practice in all sectors of society and to ensure that palliative care as a policy is represented in all civic policies (e.g. schools, workplaces, faith groups, and cultural activities) and not solely in health care.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. e45-e45
Author(s):  
Marina Journault ◽  
Simone Stenekes ◽  
Robin McClure ◽  
Chelsea Ruth

Abstract Background Neonatal palliative care is an under researched yet growing field in the provision of intensive care to neonates. There are currently no studies which explore infant death in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) itself where a shift from intensive to palliative care may occur. Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the circumstances of infant death in the NICU and understand current utilization of specialist palliative care in this area. It aimed to characterize the infants’ clinical course and add unique understanding by analyzing documentation related to end of life care. Design/Methods A retrospective chart review of infants who died in a single centre NICU between January 2017 and March 2018 was undertaken. Infants of any gestational and post-natal age were included, excluding infants who died prior to arrival to the NICU or were discharged or transferred prior to death. Chart notes relating to prognosis, advanced care planning, and palliative interventions were sampled, coded, and collated for thematic analysis. Results Twenty-five infants met study criteria. Of these, 92% were preterm with more than half below 28 weeks gestation. Median age at death was 5.2 days (IQR 1, 26.2). All infants required ventilator support with planned withdrawal occurring in 60%. Specialist palliative care was involved in 28%; these infants tended to be older (mean age at death = 78 days). Most infants were labelled as “critical” 2-5 days prior to death. Seventy-six percent of infants were held on their last day of life with 72% of families having memory making documented as part of their care. Qualitative excerpts revealed themes of hope and acceptance, parental presence, and framed discussion. Within these emerged concepts of “parental agreement” and “palliative language/approach”. Conclusion There is a growing need for both primary and specialist palliative care in the NICU. This study highlights an under researched area and generates many more important questions. By exploring documented language, we aim to understand and improve the ability to frame the discussion while ensuring quality end of life care for dying infants and their families in the NICU.


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