Literature Review

UK survey finds 65% of adults are worried about access to palliative care Medical Xpress; by King's College London; 4/30/24 A survey commissioned by King's College London, and carried out by YouGov, has found that 65% of people across the U.K. are worried about access to palliative and end of life care, and 41% think there is too little NHS resource allocated to palliative care. The survey of 2,164 adults across the U.K. was commissioned by the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care at King's to explore people's knowledge and experiences of palliative and end of life care. ... Findings from the survey conducted in January 2024 show that nearly a quarter of people (24%) across the U.K. say they don't know much about or have not heard of palliative care, with disparities in knowledge between white and ethnic minority groups.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

I wanted to run. I wanted to fly. I was cryin’. I wanted to tell the whole world who he was and what we had done with him, you know, and he was our horse. Other than when my four children and my grandchild was born, I’ve never been happier. You want to see the greatest, and the greatest of all races is the Kentucky Derby. That is the race, the Kentucky Derby, the Run for the Roses. - John Sosby, former manager of Claiborne Farm Editor's Note: Posted from Louisville, KY! (Home of Joy Berger, Editor-in-Chief)  

Substance use disorders in hospice palliative care: A narrative review of challenges and a case for physician interventionCambridge University Press; by Lauren Rudy and Emilie Lacroix; 2/29/24Objectives: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are frequently encountered in hospice palliative care (HPC) and pose substantial quality-of-life issues for patients. However, most HPC physicians do not directly treat their patients’ SUDs due to several institutional and personal barriers. ...Results: ... Recommendations for physicians and training environments to address these challenges include developing familiarity with standardized SUD assessment tools and pain management practice guidelines, creating and disseminating visual campaigns to combat stigma, including SUD assessment and intervention as fellowship competencies, and obtaining additional training in psychosocial interventions.

When a parent dies: A scoping review of protective and risk processes for childhood bereavementDeath Studies; by Rebecca Hoppe, Marcia A. Winter, Chelsea D. William, and Irwin Sandler; 4/15/24Abstract: The death of a parent can have profound effects on child development. ... A scoping review was conducted in samples of parentally bereaved children to identify key processes, synthesize results, and determine research gaps. This scoping review identified 23 studies (mainly from the United States), published between 1990 and 2023, that reported child (ages 3–22 years) individual and/or environmental protective and/or risk processes that contributed to bereavement outcomes. Findings can be used to apprise clinicians, families, and policymakers of the unique nature of childhood bereavement and to identify malleable processes to target in interventions designed to prevent problematic outcomes in bereaved children.Funding: This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award [F31HD110247].

What's in the Black Box of a successful nurse and social worker team palliative telecare intervention (ADAPT)? (RP317)Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Lyndsay DeGroot, PhD, RN, CNE; Kevin Wells; Brianne Morgan, BSN; Michelle Upham, MSW, LICSW; David B. Bekelman, MD, MPH; 5/24Key Message: A nurse and social worker palliative telecare team provided structured symptom management, psychosocial care, and individualized medical changes to improve quality of life, depression, and anxiety for patients with COPD, HF, and ILD. Impact: A nurse and social work palliative telecare team used collaborative care to tailor recommendations to the unique needs and symptoms of each patient, thereby improving quality of life.

Home care clinicians' perspectives on Advance Care Planning for patients at risk for becoming incapacitated with no evident advance directives or surrogates Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Landau, Aviv Y. PhD, MSW; Venkatram, Chinmayi BA; Song, Jiyoun PhD, AGACNP-BC, APRN; Topaz, Maxim PhD; Klitzman, Robert MD; Shang, Jingjing PhD; Stone, Patricia PhD; McDonald, Margaret MSW; Cohen, Bevin PhD; 4/24 Abstract: ... This qualitative descriptive study elicited perspectives of home health nurses and social workers regarding barriers and facilitators to creating advance care plans in home health settings, with particular attention to patients with few familial or social contacts who can serve as surrogate decision-makers. ...  Participants reported a multitude of barriers to supporting patients with advance care planning at the provider level ... Participants noted that greater socialization and connection to existing educational resources regarding the intended purpose, scope, and applicability of advance directives could benefit home care patients.

Shocked at end-of-life: An educational video for hospice workers about Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Sarah Godfrey, MD, MPH; Christine L. Chen, MD; Melanie S. Sulistio, MD; Sharika Kumar, MD; and Kelley Newcomer, MD; 2/24 Introduction: Hundreds of thousands of patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) die yearly. Though ICD shocks can be lifesaving, they can also be severely painful. One third of ICD patients are shocked in the last day of life irrespective of DNR status. Over 97% of hospice programs admit patients with ICDs, yet only 10% have deactivation policies and less than 50% of hospice patients have their ICD deactivated. ...  Conclusion: Hospice personnel have limited knowledge about ICDs, prohibiting best care of patients with these devices at EOL. A short educational video increased knowledge and may serve as a helpful tool. Improving ICD knowledge amongst hospice personnel is essential to ensuring the unique needs of hospice patients with ICDs are met.

FTC makes changes to healthcare breach reporting Becker's Health IT; by Naomi Diza; 4/26/24... The changes clarify the rule's scope regarding health apps and similar technologies while expanding the information covered entities must provide to consumers in the event of a breach of their health data, according to an April 26 FTC news release. Under the new rule, vendors of personal health records and related entities not governed by HIPAA are mandated to notify individuals, the FTC and, when applicable, the media, in case of a breach of unsecured personally identifiable health data. [Click on the title's link for more revisions to the rule.]

Assessing caregiver burnout for hospice, palliative patients Hospice News, by Jim Parker; 4/30/24 Burnout is a state of complete mental, physical and emotional exhaustion. Symptoms of burnout can include depression, compassion fatigue, stress and anxiety, and apathy, both in general life and towards work tasks, according to the Mayo Clinic. To help address these issues — and to help ensure that caregiving remained sustainable — a team of researchers from the Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh launched a project to improve assessment of caregiver burnout.

More legislation in Illinois deals with ending a person’s life The Center Square - Illinois; by Kevin Bessler; 5/1/24 Another bill has been introduced in Springfield dealing with end of life options for the terminally ill. Illinois state Sen. Julie Morrison’s Senate Bill 2644 would establish a statewide electronic registry that would contain Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) forms, which detail what type of medical treatment a critically ill patient does and does not want. “How much or how little treatment a person receives at the end of their life should be up to each individual instead of the one-size-fits-all approach,” said Morrison, D-Lake Forest, during a news conference Wednesday. “This measure will enable physicians to access forms detailing patients wishes in a single, accessible location.” 

Transitional Bridges offers compassionate alternative to plastic belongings bagsABC 8 News, Richmond, VA; by EIN Presswire; 4/30/24Transitional Bridges, a San Diego-based nonprofit focused on inspiring compassion and improving end-of-life care through art, has created Transitional Belongings Bags, a compassionate and eco-friendly alternative to the plastic bags hospitals use to hand over belongings to loved ones after a patient has died. The concept was first introduced 17 years ago by the Irish Hospice Foundation Hospice Friendly Hospitals Program to promote dignity and sensitivity when returning a loved one’s possessions to bereaved family and friends. ... Lorene Morris, the founder and president of Transitional Bridges, became inspired to bring the movement to the U.S. after her mother, an artist, died unexpectedly from postoperative complications. When the family was handed their mother's possessions in two large, clear plastic bags, Morris recalls, “I felt like the whole world could see those intimate items. It was just so wrong.”

May 6-12, 2024 National Nurses Week: Nurses Make a DifferenceNursing World; by the American Nurses Association; 4/30/24 The American Nurses Association is celebrating National Nurses Week 2024 May 6 - May 12, and throughout May. This year's theme, "Nurses Make the Difference," honors the incredible nurses who embody the spirit of compassion and care in every health care setting. Join us in recognizing the invaluable contributions of nurses worldwide. Whether you're a health care professional, a patient, or simply someone who appreciates nurses' dedication, this is your chance to express gratitude and support for their capability and fortitude. Let’s come together to celebrate Nurses Week 2024 and show our appreciation for these extraordinary professionals!