Critical care nurse
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Critical care nurse · Apr 2024
Integrating Palliative Care Screening in the Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project.
Patients admitted to the intensive care unit have complex medical problems and increased rates of mortality and recurrent hospitalization for the following 10 years compared with patients without a history of critical illness. Delayed access to palliative care can result in untreated symptoms, lack of understanding of care preferences, and preventable admissions. Despite studies supporting palliative care screening, there is no standardized method to assess palliative care needs of patients admitted to critical care units. ⋯ 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.