Attitudes and practices towards palliative care in chronic heart failure: a survey of cardiovascular nurses and physicians

Sense of failure in end of life care: Perspectives from physicians and nurses

Limited knowledge exists regarding sensed failure resulting provision of end-of-life (EOL) care. Among medical health professionals (MHP), a sense of failure is associated with impaired patientcare and reduced worker wellbeing, including higher rates of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. As part of a larger mixed-methods study on the effects of EOL-care provision on MHP in general hospitals, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 physicians and nurses at three tertiary Israeli hospitals, representing a wide range of medical specialties, training, experience, and cultural backgrounds. Qualitative thematic analysis of the interviews led to the identification of the theme 'sense of failure' with the sub-themes 'sources' and 'lived meanings' of the sensed failure. Apart from the source 'losing a patient' all other identified sources were recognized as work-related risk factors, including 'unsupportive environments' and 'shortcomings of the medical practice.' Two of the lived meaning 'sense of personal responsibility' and 'moral injury' were also recognized as work-related risk factors. Surprisingly, albeit the adverse context of EOL-care, the two remaining lived meanings 'learning from failure' and 'sense of purpose' were recognized as protective resilience factors. Changes in workplace norms by focusing on leadership and mentoring programs and implementation of evidence based interventions aimed at reducing the sense of failure and enhancing feelings of purpose are recommended. Finally, the findings described in the study would benefit from continued studies on larger scales.

The Palliative Approach and Terminal Heart Failure Admissions - Are We Getting it Right?

BACKGROUND

Chronic heart failure has a high mortality and early provision of palliative care supports complex decision-making and improves quality of life.

AIM

To explore whether and when a palliative approach was adopted during the last 12 months of life in patients who experienced an in-hospital death from heart failure.

DESIGN

Retrospective medical record review of all deaths from chronic heart failure (January 2010 to December 2019).

PARTICIPANTS

Admissions with chronic heart failure resulting in death were analysed from an Australian tertiary referral centre.

RESULTS

The cohort (n=517) were elderly (median age 83.8 years IQR=77.6-88.7) and male (55.1%). Common comorbidities were ischaemic heart disease (n=293 56.7%) and atrial fibrillation (n=289 55.9%). Life sustaining interventions occurred in 97 (18.8%) patients. In 31 (6.0%) patients referral to specialist palliative care occurred prior to, and in 263 (50.9%) during, the terminal admission. Opioids were prescribed to 440 (85.1%) patients. Comfort care was the documented goal in 158 patients (30.6%). A palliative approach was significantly associated with prior admission in the preceding 12 months (OR=1.5 95% CI=1.0-2.1 p<0.043), receiving outpatient care (OR=2.6 95% CI=1.6-4.1 p<0.01), and admissions in the latter half of the decade (OR=1.5 95% CI=1.0-2.0 p<0.038).

CONCLUSION

Despite greater adoption of a palliative approach in the terminal admission over the last decade, a significant proportion of patients receive palliative care late, just prior to death.