Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Clinical News | Physician & Nursing News.”
Person-centered, goal-oriented care helped my patients improve their quality of life
08/16/24 at 02:15 AMPerson-centered, goal-oriented care helped my patients improve their quality of life Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine; by Lee A. Jennings and James W. Mold; orignially posted 5/24 issue, again on 8/15/24 When the goal is to help patients improve their quality of life, it makes sense to focus directly on the activities and relationships that are most important to each patient. This can be accomplished most effectively by following a three-step process that includes 1) connecting with the patient around what matters to them, 2) co-creating a goal-oriented plan, and 3) collaborating with patient, family, team members, and consultants to increase the probability of success. Once this approach has been mastered and the necessary systems, processes, and relationships are in place, this should not take more time than a problem-oriented approach, and it will almost certainly be more satisfying for both physician and patient. Editor's Note: Simple. Effective. Meaningful.
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation receives $1.2 million impact grant
08/16/24 at 02:00 AMHospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation receives $1.2 million impact grant Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA); August 2024 newsletter, with webpage posted 7/8/24 The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a transformative $1.2 million impact grant from the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC). The Sandra Lee Schafer Impact Grant, given in memory of the late Sandra Lee Schafer, MN, RN, AOCN®, will empower HPNF to create a legacy of sustainable giving, which will impact the hospice and palliative care community for years to come. “We are deeply honored and grateful to receive this impact grant from HPCC, given in tribute of Sandy,” said Virginia (Ginger) Marshall, MSN, ACNP-BC, ACHPN®, FPCN, chief executive officer of HPNF. Sandra was an unwavering advocate of specialty nursing certification. ... Sandra served as the director of credentialing of the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center from 2004 until her sudden passing in 2018.
Examining the relationship between rural and urban clinicians’ familiarity with patients and families and their comfort with palliative and end-of-life care communication
08/15/24 at 03:00 AMExamining the relationship between rural and urban clinicians’ familiarity with patients and families and their comfort with palliative and end-of-life care communication
Virtual palliative care improves quality of life in advanced lung cancer
08/15/24 at 03:00 AMVirtual palliative care improves quality of life in advanced lung cancer MedPage Today; by Greg Laub; 8/13/24 In this exclusive MedPageToday video, Roy Herbst, MD, PhD, of Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut, discusses a studyopens in a new tab or window presented at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting, which showed that patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving palliative care via video consultation had outcomes comparable to those treated in person. Following is a transcript of his remarks: ...
3 components of virtual nursing
08/15/24 at 03:00 AM3 components of virtual nursing MarketScale, Dallas, TX; by David Jastrow; 8/12/24 As healthcare adopts digital innovations, virtual nursing is increasingly significant. This study delves into the key components driving this transition, analyzing the benefits, and exploring future trends. [The 3 key components identified include:]
Death is inevitable. It's time we learned to talk about it.
08/15/24 at 03:00 AMDeath is inevitable. It's time we learned to talk about it. MedPageToday; by Nidhi Bhaskar; 8/13/24 By fostering honest and compassionate discussions, we can provide patients with more dignity. Years ago, in a busy emergency department, I found myself joining my mentor at the bedside of an elderly man experiencing chest pain. After completing the physical exam, the doctor unceremoniously changed gears to abruptly ask our patient, "If your heart were to stop beating, do you want us to do everything?" Between the stress of the situation and the vague and awkward delivery of the question, our patient seemed (understandably) overwhelmed. So was I. ... End-of-life conversations can feel like a "word soup" of sorts ... it is easy for patients and providers alike to feel lost. ... Providers must also consider the nuances of cultural attitudes towards death; the location and family arrangements surrounding a person at the end of life; and the varying emotional responses and feelings of decision paralysis surrounding how one dies and how one feels about dying.Editor's Note: For a related article in our newsletter today, read "Examining the relationship between rural and urban clinicians’ familiarity with patients and families and their comfort with palliative and end-of-life care communication."
‘The Last Ecstatic Days’ one day screening strives to teach the world how to die without fear
08/15/24 at 03:00 AM‘The Last Ecstatic Days’ one day screening strives to teach the world how to die without fear Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME; by BDN Community; 8/13/24 Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County invites Greater Waldo County to a single night screening on Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. Post-screening, there will be a Community Conversation with Hospice and Palliative Care Physician Aditi Sethi, MD and Director of the Center for Conscious Living & Dying/Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County’s Flic Shooter. Sethi, MD’s end-of-life palliative work is featured in the film. “The Last Ecstatic Days” focuses on a young man with terminal brain cancer (Ethan Sisser) as he sits alone in his hospital room. When Sisser starts live-streaming his death journey on social media, thousands of people around the world join to celebrate his courage. Still, he envisions more–to teach the world how to die without fear. To do that, Sisser needs to film his actual death. What unfolds next is a rarely-glimpsed perspective of how a community of strangers helps a young man die with grace.Editor's Note: This movie has been featured on PBS. The Boston Globe describes, "... courageous end-of-life chronicle, which overflows with compassion." The Louisiana Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization shared this as a viewing and discussion at their July 2024 conference. For the trailor and more information, click here.
9 powerful lessons on life you can learn from experts on death
08/13/24 at 03:00 AM9 powerful lessons on life you can learn from experts on death Forbes; by Robert Pearl, MD; 8/12/24 As a physician, I have been present at the end of many lives, witnessing the profound agony families face during a loved one’s final moments. While most family members express deep gratitude for the care provided by doctors and nurses, some recount harrowing stories of unnecessary pain their loved ones endured in the final days. These distressing accounts highlight a troubling ambiguity in the care we provide, blurring the line between compassionate treatment and what can feel like unbearable torture. Motivated by my encounters with grieving families, I dedicated the ninth season of the Fixing Healthcare podcast to exploring life’s final chapter and addressing the shortcomings in end-of-life care. ...
Dr. El-Jawahri on the impact of palliative care on end-of-life care for AML and MDS
08/13/24 at 03:00 AMDr. El-Jawahri on the impact of palliative care on end-of-life care for AML and MDS OncLive; by Areej R. El-Jawahri, MD; 8/12/24 Areej El-Jawahri, MD, associate director, Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program, director, Bone Marrow Transplant Survivorship Program, associate professor, medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses findings from a multi-site, randomized trial (NCT03310918) investigating a collaborative palliative oncology care model for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) receiving nonintensive therapy at 2 tertiary care academic hospitals. Patients in the study who received the palliative care interventions had a median of 41 days from end-of-life care discussions to death, compared with 1.5 days in the standard care group (P < .001). Additionally, patients who received the palliative care interventions were more likely to articulate their end-of-life care preferences and have these preferences documented in electronic health records, El-Jawahri begins. This documentation correlated with fewer hospitalizations in the final 30 days of life, she notes. Furthermore, palliative care recipients experienced QOL improvements and a trend toward reduced anxiety symptoms vs the patients who received usual care, El-Jawahri says. These findings underscore the necessity of integrating palliative care as a standard of care for patients with AML and high-risk MDS, El-Jawahri emphasizes.
Alzheimer’s prognosis models should expand data sources
08/13/24 at 02:00 AMAlzheimer’s prognosis models should expand data sources McKnights Senior Living; by Kristen Fischer; 8/12/24 Integrating data from nursing home electronic health records and claims in addition to the minimum data set — data required for nursing home residents — could be better than just relying on the MDS sources to produce an accurate prognosis for nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, according to a report published Thursday in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. ... The authors of the report noted that a recent review of prognostic models for late-stage ADRD found that assessments commonly used to evaluate prognosis-based eligibility for hospice weren’t reliable. ... Only 15% of people enrolled in hospice have a primary diagnosis of ADRD. That’s because it’s challenging to estimate the six-month prognosis required to be eligible for hospice, and dementias have a prognosis of 12 to 18 months when they are in the late stage, the authors pointed out.
Nursing strategies to mitigate separation between hospitalized acute and critical care patients and families: A scoping review
08/03/24 at 03:25 AMNursing strategies to mitigate separation between hospitalized acute and critical care patients and families: A scoping review Intensive Critical Care Nurse; Sonja Meiers, Véronique de Goumoëns, Lorraine Thirsk, Kristen Abbott-Anderson, Petra Brysiewicz, Sandra Eggenberger, Mary Heitschmidt, Blanche Kiszio, Natalie S Mcandrew, Aspen Morman, Sandra Richardson; 7/26/24 Implications for clinical practice: Permanent policy changes are needed across acute and critical care settings to provide support for nurses in mitigating patient and family separation. We recommend that family members be considered as caregivers and care receivers, not visitors in patient and family-centered care in acute and critical care settings.
Prognostication in hospice care: Challenges, opportunities, and the importance of functional status
08/03/24 at 03:10 AMPrognostication in hospice care: Challenges, opportunities, and the importance of functional statusFederal Practitioner - Case Reports; by David B. Brecher, MD and Heather J. Sabol, MSN, ARNP; 7/24 Predicting life expectancy and providing an end-of-life diagnosis in hospice and palliative care is a challenge for most clinicians. Lack of training, limited communication skills, and relationships with patients are all contributing factors. These skills can improve with the use of functional scoring tools in conjunction with the patient’s comorbidities and physical/psychological symptoms. The Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Scale (ECOG) are commonly used functional scoring tools.
Becoming time rich with physician moms: Sarah Wittry and Nicole Perrotte
08/02/24 at 03:00 AMBecoming time rich with physician moms: Sarah Wittry and Nicole Perrotte MarketScale - Ripple of Change; by Todd Otten; 7/30/24 In today’s high-stress healthcare environment, physician mothers face the formidable challenge of balancing demanding careers with their personal lives. The conversation on work-life balance is more relevant than ever, with more women in medicine seeking ways to manage these dual responsibilities effectively. How can physician moms navigate this landscape to reclaim time for themselves without guilt? What strategies can physician moms employ to achieve a healthier work-life balance? This pressing question lies at the heart of today’s discussion on the Ripple of Change podcast. ... Key points of discussion:
Amid trauma and burnout, it ‘takes courage’ to reflect on mental, emotional well-being
08/02/24 at 03:00 AMAmid trauma and burnout, it ‘takes courage’ to reflect on mental, emotional well-being Healio; by Jennifer Byrne; 7/31/24 ... [William E. Rosa, PhD, MBE, MS] began to realize that in the stressful, devastating situations he and his colleagues faced daily, there was much to be learned from the principles of trauma-informed care. ... “This is the idea that cultivating an awareness can prevent us from re-traumatizing ourselves and others,” he said. “I think it starts with reflecting on — and telling the truth about — our mental and emotional well-being. That takes courage.” In acknowledging the emotional scars, brokenness and vulnerability that comes from tragedy and loss, individuals can begin to heal a lifetime of stored and unresolved trauma, Rosa said. “As a workforce, you and I see unacceptable rates of suicide, burnout, moral distress and attrition,” he said. “It’s time that we come to safe and supported terms with our trauma — not just as individuals, but as a collective, not only for the patients and families we serve, but for us to survive.”Editor's Note: In this article, Dr. Rosa identified "the emotional impact of taking yet another patient off the ventilator at the end of life." Recent articles we've posted in this newsletter about trauma-informed care been in our "Top Reads." While those articles focused on trauma-informed care of the persons you serve, this focuses on the persons who serve, your all-important direct patient care clinicians.
The most urgent needs in medical education
08/02/24 at 03:00 AMThe most urgent needs in medical education Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 7/30/24 Healthcare is rapidly changing, presenting challenges to new physicians and the organizations that train them. The rise of AI, new technologies, patient demands and increased awareness in social determinants of health and equity have pushed leaders and organizations to change how they evaluate healthcare workers' preparedness as they enter the field. ...
Resources for people coping with Alzheimer’s disease
08/02/24 at 03:00 AMResources for people coping with Alzheimer’s disease Everyday Health; by Pamela Kaufman; updated 7/29/24 No one should have to deal with Alzheimer’s alone. The government agencies, nonprofit groups, and other resources listed here can help people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers cope with the disease through education, advocacy, support services, clinical trial opportunities, and blogs that share the wisdom of lived experience. [This essential list of resources includes:]
End-of-life care planning ‘needs to become routine’
08/01/24 at 03:00 AMEnd-of-life care planning ‘needs to become routine’ Nursing Times; by Gemma Mitchell; 7/30/24 Nurses need to support a "culture change" in end-of-life care whereby people's are better recorded and respected, a new report has urged. [Free trial / subscription required for full access.]
Skagit Regional Health comes to tentative agreement with nurses
08/01/24 at 03:00 AMSkagit Regional Health comes to tentative agreement with nurses Skagit Valley Herald; by Racquel Muncy; 7/30/24 After 14 negotiation sessions over the past five months, Skagit Regional Health and its nurses reached a tentative agreement ... The contract would affect about 600 registered nurses at Skagit Valley Hospital, its clinics and at Hospice of the Northwest. The nurses were represented in their contract negotiations by the Washington State Nurses Association. Prior to Monday’s bargaining session, there had been three major sticking points for the nurses — wages, a desire to have annual raises based on experience rather than hours worked, and retirement benefits.
Physician pioneer in medical ethics dies: Howard Brody, MD, PhD
08/01/24 at 03:00 AMPhysician pioneer in medical ethics dies: Howard Brody, MD, PhD Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 7/29/24 Howard Brody, MD, PhD, a pioneer in the field of medical ethics, died July 22 at 75, KnoxTNToday.com reported July 29. Dr. Brody earned doctorates in both medicine and philosophy and specialized in topics such as medical ethics, end-of-life care and the placebo effect. He practiced family medicine and served as director of the Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, as well as director of the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences at East Lansing-based Michigan State University. Dr. Brody is survived by his wife and two children.
Proactive fall prevention: Elevating patient safety and healthcare excellence
07/31/24 at 03:00 AMProactive fall prevention: Elevating patient safety and healthcare excellenceHealthCare Business News; by Amy Hester; 7/26/24... The significance of fall prevention cannot be overstated, as it directly impacts patient outcomes and overall healthcare quality. With the patient safety solutions market growing at an expected rate of 11.2%, the importance of proactive fall prevention strategies becomes even more evident. ... In the United States, preventable medical errors, including falls, are the third leading cause of death. The impact of falls on patient health and recovery is profound, often leading to longer hospital stays, delayed recovery and increased risk of subsequent falls.Editor's Note: Proactive fall prevention is especially important for persons needing palliative or hospice care. As the person's health and mobility declines, they have to adjust to these changes mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally. Recognizing decline can feel like defeat. Asking for help can be tough. Family members can expect the person to move more independently more than possible, leading to falls.
Caregivers of end-of-life patients reveal the last words they hear most often and the most common regrets from patients
07/29/24 at 03:00 AMCaregivers of end-of-life patients reveal the last words they hear most often and the most common regrets from patients WhatsNew2Day; by Alexander; 7/27/24... While each person’s final moments are different, chaplains and palliative care nurses have said most people approach their death with “radical acceptance.” People who are actively dying also often have a new sense of clarity about the universe and may even have a temporary burst of energy or sudden moments of clarity if they have dementia. The last words patients usually say to their families are to tell them they love them... [Often, people] who are in the midst of dying want to be surrounded by their loved ones and pets. Their final words are often words of love and pleas for forgiveness, as well as expressions of regret, ... [Another described that people show] "a desire for connection" with loved ones and faith. Editor's Note: This article provides a balanced scope of descriptions from several professionals, notably Catherine Duncan, Annemarie Switchulis, Neal Shah, and Zackary Price. In this day of social media, some hospice professionals (past or present) tout definitive, authoritative descriptions of what all dying persons experience, with too many assumptions and generalizations. Beware what you read and distribute, especially if the tone and language (of other articles) are sensationalized in a way to garner social media "expertise," followers and Shares--at the expense of more balanced, sensitive, diverse, personalized experiences.
Practicing proactive palliative care in COPD management
07/29/24 at 03:00 AMPracticing proactive palliative care in COPD management Medscape - "In Discussion"; podcast by Leah J. Witt, MD and Anand S. Iyer, MD, MSPH; 7/25/24Let's start talking COPD. Today, we're going to keep talking about Mr Rivera, a case we've been following all season. He's a 78-year-old man with COPD, and we're talking to you about palliative care and symptom management. He has group E COPD. He really has a lot of symptoms and frequent exacerbations.
The Uniform Determination of Death Act is not changing. Will physicians continue to misdiagnose brain death?
07/27/24 at 03:25 AMThe Uniform Determination of Death Act is not changing. Will physicians continue to misdiagnose brain death?The American Journal of Bioethics; Michael Nair-Collins; 7/24Efforts to revise the Uniform Determination of Death Act [UDDA] in order to align law with medical practice have failed. It has long been common practice to declare some patients dead by neurologic criteria even though they do not meet the legal standard for death. Thus, legally living people will continue to be declared dead, not because of a mistake, but because of a choice. The decision to continue misdiagnosing death according to the law will create routine violations of civil rights, will continue to violate the DDR [dead donor rule] that allegedly is such an important red line for organ transplantation, and will contribute to a well-deserved mistrust in the determination of death.
Omega - Journal of Death and Dying - June 2024
07/27/24 at 03:00 AMOmega - Journal of Death and Dying - June 2024 Sage Journals - Omega - Journal of Death and Dying; June 2024 issue Omega - Journal of Death and Dying, a peer-reviewed journal that says it brings insight into terminal illness, the process of dying, bereavement, mourning, funeral customs and suicide, published research articles on the following topics in its June 2024 edition (Vol. 89, Issue 2). [A few sample topics include the following:]
Palliative Medicine - June 2024 Issue
07/27/24 at 03:00 AMPalliative Medicine - June 2024 Issue