Literature Review

Responding to Soul Injury: Tools for hope and healing Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Deborah Grassman, Abi Katz, Luann Conforti-Brown, Josephine F Wilson, Angie Snyder; 3/13/24Soul Injury is defined as a wound that separates a person from their real self, caused by unmourned loss and hurt, unforgiven guilt and shame, and fear of helplessness or loss of control. Tools and interventions have been developed to guide people impacted by Soul Injury. This study assessed the effectiveness of 12 tools and interventions, ... The Anchor Your Heart tool was the most frequently used tool and had the most enduring utilization across time and settings.Editor's Note: Click here for The Anchor Your Heart Tool identified in this article. Share this research and article with your clinical teams and bereavement counselors.

What are ageing and death from a biological point of view? Polytchnique insights, by Alexis Gautreau and Clemence Guillermain; 3/12/24 Linking philosophy and biology may seem strange. Yet there are many subjects where the two disciplines come into play and are, in turn, essential to understanding them. Death is a perfect example. This biological reality remains an abstract concept until we experience it in our own lives. But, however abstract it may be, death is based on a biological reality. 

In the ICU, what is a good death? Understanding why clinicians and patients' families may disagree in Intensive Care Unit Northwestern Now, by Marla Paul; 3/7/24What is a good death for a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)? The answer to that question may depend on whether you ask a family member of a patient or the physician, who are not necessarily aligned. ... Approximately 20-30% of people who die in the U.S., die in the ICU, according to previous research. Nearly 60% of ICU admissions result in death. Wide discrepancies have been documented between a patient’s stated preferences and the end-of-life care actually delivered.

Patients with metastatic cancer state more accurate prognosis when in poor healthMedscape / YouTube, Dr. Maurie Markman; 3/7/24Dr. Maurie Markman discusses a paper focused on the controversial oncology topic of prognosis beliefs among patients with metastatic cancer.Editor's Note: For the transcript, click on the link beneath the YouTube's description that has the text "medscape.com/viewarticle." 

Compassionate extubation and beyond: Is there a need for more guidance in managing end-of-life in the intensive care unit? Chest Physician, by Angela L. Birdwell, DO, MA; Nehan Sher, MD  Approximately 20% of deaths in the United States occur during or shortly after a stay in the ICU and approximately 40% of ICU deaths involve withdrawal of artificial life support (WOALS) or compassionate extubation. ... How the team approaches WOALS can make a difference to both patients and decision-makers. Unfortunately, there is striking variation in practice and lack of guidance in navigating issues that arise at end-of-life in the ICU. 

Rising suicide risk among seniors due to loneliness, mobility, financial insecurity, study finds McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/5/24As the number of adults over 65 continues to grow, suicide rates among older adults have also been rising, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Between 2008 and 2017, the share of suicide-related emergency department visits among adults 65 years and older more than doubled. These older adults face age-related stressors that can negatively affect mental health, such as declining physical health, reduced mental sharpness, or the loss of friends or loved ones, which can heighten the risk of suicide. 

Opinion: How death can be the chance to serve others WAtoday, by Annie Whitlock; 3/3/24 I see my death as an opportunity to serve others ... . A few years ago, I offered my corpse to the department of anatomy and physiology at the University of Melbourne. The university co-ordinates a body donor program for the purposes of anatomical examination and the precious teaching and study of anatomy to its medical students. ... To the medical students who will be learning from my body I gave the department the following letter: I give you my body. ... Learn from me this one last time. So my organs, flesh and scars tell of times and outcomes that in death I cannot utter any more. ...

Facing dementia: Clarifying end-of-life choices, supporting better lives The Hastings Center; 2/28/24The report includes 10 recommendations for policymakers, research funders, clinical and legal practitioners, and professional societies. ... “Facing Dementia: Clarifying End-of-Life Choices, Supporting Better Lives” is the major product of a Hastings Center research project, codirected by Hastings senior research scholar Nancy Berlinger and President Emerita Mildred Z. Solomon. 

"The great escape": How an incident of elopement gave rise to trauma informed palliative care for a patient experiencing multiple disadvantage BMC Palliat Care, by Sam Quinn, Libby Ferguson, Derek Read, and Naomi Richards; 2/28/24Background: This case report ... illustrates how unresolved traumatic experiences across the life course can affect a patient's engagement with palliative care and offers insights into the flexibility and adaptations necessary for taking a trauma informed approach to care for an individual experiencing multiple disadvantage. 

Right-sizing interprofessional team training for serious-illness communication: A strength-based approach PEC Innvov, by Liana Eskola, Ethan Silverman, Sarah Rogers, Amy Zelenski; distributed 2/28/24Objective: Palliative care communication skills help tailor care to patients' goals. With a palliative care physician shortage, non-physicians must gain these serious illness communication skills. Historically, trainings have targeted physician-only groups; our goal was to train interprofessional teams.

Are we consulting, sharing care, or taking over? A conceptual frameworkPalliat Med Rep, by José Pereira, Christopher Klinger, Hsien Seow, Denise Marshall, Leonie Herx; 2/23/24Background: Primary- and specialist-level palliative care services are needed. They should work collaboratively and synergistically. Although several service models have been described, these remain open to different interpretations and deployment.Aim: This article describes a conceptual framework, the Consultation-Shared Care-Takeover (C-S-T) Framework, its evolution and its applications.

CareAcademy launches hospice care curriculum and expands offerings to serve post-acute care providers nationwidePR Newswire, news provided by CareAcademy; 2/27/24CareAcademy ... proudly announces the launch of its Hospice Care curriculum, marking a significant expansion of its offerings to support post-acute care providers. Renowned for its user-friendly platform and high-quality content, CareAcademy is broadening its focus to be a key player in the broader post-acute care landscape, serving home health, hospice and palliative care organizations.

Communicating with patients with hearing loss or deafness—Can you hear me? JAMA Intern Med, by Dianne P. O'Leary, PhD and Timothy J. O'Leary, PhD, MD... Virtually all health care professionals want to provide the best possible care and to communicate as effectively as possible. However, ... frequent communication failures are leading to inferior care for the hearing impaired. Effective communication might require some or all of the approaches listed in [this article].