Integrating palliative care screening in the intensive care unit: A quality improvement project

Integrating palliative care screening in the intensive care unit: A quality improvement project
Critical Care Nurse; by Traci N. Phillips, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN; Denise K. Gormley, PhD, RN; Sherry Donaworth, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FNP-BC; 4/1/24
Background: Patients admitted to the intensive care unit have complex medical problems and increased rates of mortality and recurrent hospitalization for the following 10 years ...  Delayed access to palliative care can result in untreated symptoms, lack of understanding of care preferences, and preventable admissions.
Conclusion: The screening process can maximize the benefit of palliative care services with early patient identification, improved consultation efficiency, decreased critical care resource use, and reduced readmission rates.