Advanced technology has made prolonged life support possible, yet approximately 22% of deaths of adult patients in the United States occur in intensive care units (ICUs). Successful transition from active treatment to end-of-life (EOL) care requires good communication and shared decision-making. However, conflict and poor interdisciplinary collaboration among health care professionals reduces the quality of EOL care and contributes to family distress.
Brooks and colleagues conducted focus group interviews with ICU nurses and physicians to discuss their experiences and perceptions of EOL care. They found the following:
The authors recommend staff support and education from senior clinicians to improve interdisciplinary EOL care. Clear organizational processes with a collaborative decision-making framework can assist staff in leadership roles.
See Article, pp 336–341
Sleep disruption is a well-known problem for patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Poor-quality sleep that is short contributes to poor outcomes such as delirium and posthospital syndrome. Little is...
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