BMC geriatrics
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Multicenter Study
Age is associated with increased mortality in the RETTS-A triage scale.
Triage is widely used in the emergency department (ED) in order to identify the patient's level of urgency and often based on the patient's chief complaint and vital signs. Age has been shown to be independently associated with short term mortality following an ED visit. However, the most commonly used ED triage tools do not include age as an independent core variable. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between age and 7- and 30-day mortality across the triage priority level groups according to Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System - Adult (RETTS-A), the most widely used triage tool in Sweden. ⋯ Compared to younger patients, patients above 60 years have an increased short term mortality across the RETTS-A triage priority level groups and this was most pronounced in the lowest triage level. The reason for our findings are unclear and data suggest a validation of RETTS-A in aged patients.
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Multicenter Study
Perspectives and experiences of compassion in long-term care facilities within Canada: a qualitative study of patients, family members and health care providers.
This paper details a subset of the findings from a participatory action research project exploring a palliative intervention in long-term care sites across Canada. The findings presented in this paper relate to understanding compassion within the context of a palliative approach to long-term care. ⋯ Results suggest that compassion is an essential part of care and relationships within long-term care, though it is shaped by personal and professional relational aspects of care and bound by organizational and systemic issues. Findings suggest that compassion may be an under-recognised, but essential element in meeting the promise of person-centred care within long-term care environments.