Moral Distress unter Ärzten und Pflegenden in Therapiebegrenzungssituationen in der Hämatologie/Onkologie – Ergebnisse der EPAL-Studie (Ethics Policy for Advanced Care Planning and Limiting Treatment)

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (05) ◽  
pp. 1-59
Author(s):  
K Mehlis ◽  
E Jaeger ◽  
F Mumm ◽  
K Laryionava ◽  
W Hiddemann ◽  
...  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e21504-e21504
Author(s):  
Eva Caroline Winkler ◽  
Katja Mehlis ◽  
Elena Jaeger ◽  
Katsiaryna Laryionava ◽  
Friederike Mumm ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 397-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyudmyla Demyan ◽  
Grace Wu ◽  
Dina Moumin ◽  
Gary B Deutsch ◽  
William Nealon ◽  
...  

397 Background:The timing and the extent of Advanced Care Planning (ACP) in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) undergoing curative-intent resection are generally dictated by the surgeon performing the operation. The aim of this study is to evaluate surgeons’ insights, perceptions, and biases regarding preoperative ACP. We hypothesize that many surgeons harbor significant reservations about extensive preoperative ACP. Methods:A qualitative investigation using 1:1 interviews with 40 open-ended questions were conducted with convenience sample. Data accrual continued until theme saturation was achieved. Grounded theory approach was used for data coding and analysis. Results:A total of 10 interviews were conducted with expert pancreatic surgeons from 6 medical centers—6 males and 4 females. The median number of years in practice was 15 (IQR 13-30) and the median number of pancreatic cancer cases performed per year was 52 (IQR 39-75). During preoperative counseling all surgeons discuss the possibility of recurrence and postoperative complications but attempt to motivate patients by emphasizing hope, optimism, and fact that surgery offers the only opportunity for cure. 90% of surgeons report no formal training in ACP. All surgeons report comfort with end of life conversations when death is imminent, but most lack experience with in-depth preoperative ACP. All surgeons emphasized that ACP should be led by a physician that both knows the patient well and understands the complexity of PDAC management. All surgeons recognized potential benefits of ACP, including delivery of goal-concordant care (60%), increased prognostic awareness (40%), and better life planning (40%). 50% report discussing in-depth ACP related to perioperative complications, but not long-term oncologic outcome. 80% of surgeons report that they actively steer away from in-depth ACP during preoperative counseling. Barriers to in-depth ACP reported by surgeons include taking away hope (70%), lack of time (50%) and concern for sending “mixed messages” (50%). Further, 50% of surgeons perceived that extensive preoperative ACP is not appropriate for patients with PDAC undergoing curative-intent resection. Most surgeons (60%) believe that ACP should occur as a process throughout the disease and in-depth discussions were more appropriate during postoperative visits (30%) and/or recurrence (60%). Conclusions:Despite recognizing potential benefits, most pancreatic surgeons report actively avoiding in-depth ACP conversations prior to curative-intent surgery. Surgeons had difficulty articulating the best time for ACP and felt that ACP should occur as a continuum throughout the course of treatment, with the depth of the discussion echoing the disease progression and patients’ readiness for such conversation. Future studies could evaluate patients’ perspective on the timing and the dose of ACP.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i18-i20
Author(s):  
H Ibrahim ◽  
A Cavanagh ◽  
E W Richfield

Abstract Introduction Rotigotine, a trans-dermal dopamine agonist (DA), can be used acutely for inpatient populations and is an option in end of life (EoL) care for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) where enteral (oral or naso-gastric) routes are no longer available or appropriate. Concerns regarding acute use of DAs in hospital include: i) difficulty achieving dopaminergic equivalence; ii) promotion of delirium; and iii) promotion of terminal agitation at EoL. Methods We retrospectively evaluated acute inpatient Rotigotine use in a UK teaching hospital. Prescriptions between January-June 2018 were identified from the pharmacy database and relevant inpatient records were analysed. The OPTIMAL calculator was used as a gold standard for dopaminergic conversion. Results 33 eligible inpatients were identified. 13 (39%) patients were prescribed the recommended dose of Rotigotine; 7 (21%) higher and 13 (39%) lower than recommended dose. Of 22 (66%) patients with delirium, 18 (82%) inappropriately received the higher dose. 12 (36%) patients developed new or worsening delirium; and 6 (18%) developed new or worsening hallucinations. 19 (58%) patients were dead at time of evaluation with median survival of 22 days (range 1-207). For patients prescribed Rotigotine for EoL (n=13), median survival was 15 days (range 1-62); for patients not prescribed Rotigotine for EoL (n=20), median survival was 81 days (range 6-207). Of 13 (39%) patients prescribed Rotigotine for EoL, 9 (69%) had evidence of terminal agitation. Conclusions Acute conversion to Rotigotine remains problematic, despite availability of validated tools. Inappropriate dosing may precipitate or worsen delirium. Acute prescription of Rotigotine appears to act as a proxy marker for poor prognosis and could be a red flag for triggering advanced care planning. Little is published regarding use of Rotigotine at EoL, this data raises concerns regarding risk of terminal agitation and is an important area for further study.


ESMO Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. e000950
Author(s):  
Katja Mehlis ◽  
Elena Bierwirth ◽  
Katsiaryna Laryionava ◽  
Friederike Mumm ◽  
Pia Heussner ◽  
...  

BackgroundDecisions to limit treatment (DLTs) are important to protect patients from overtreatment but constitute one of the most ethically challenging situations in oncology practice. In the Ethics Policy for Advance Care Planning and Limiting Treatment study (EPAL), we examined how often DLT preceded a patient’s death and how early they were determined before (T1) and after (T2) the implementation of an intrainstitutional ethics policy on DLT.MethodsThis prospective quantitative study recruited 1.134 patients with haematological/oncological neoplasia in a period of 2×6 months at the University Hospital of Munich, Germany. Information on admissions, discharges, diagnosis, age, DLT, date and place of death, and time span between the initial determination of a DLT and the death of a patient was recorded using a standardised form.ResultsOverall, for 21% (n=236) of the 1.134 patients, a DLT was made. After implementation of the policy, the proportion decreased (26% T1/16% T2). However, the decisions were more comprehensive, including more often the combination of ‘Do not resuscitate’ and ‘no intense care unit’ (44% T1/64% T2). The median time between the determination of a DLT and the patient’s death was similarly short with 6 days at a regular ward (each T1/T2) and 10.5/9 (T1/T2) days at a palliative care unit. For patients with solid tumours, the DLTs were made earlier at both regular and palliative care units than for the deceased with haematological neoplasia.ConclusionOur results show that an ethics policy on DLT could sensitise for treatment limitations in terms of frequency and extension but had no significant impact on timing of DLT. Since patients with haematological malignancies tend to undergo intensive therapy more often during their last days than patients with solid tumours, special attention needs to be paid to this group. To support timely discussions, we recommend the concept of advance care planning.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document