Abstract
Letter to the Editor
Case of a 61-year-old woman with major depressive disorder who participated in dignity therapy while hospitalized for a major depressive episode. (page 509)
Brief Report
A formal needs assessment to characterize educational/formal training concerns of Emergency Medicine Physicians. (page 516)
Fast Facts and Concepts
#249 Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (page 612)
#221 Treatment of Pain in Patients Taking Buprenorphine for Opioid Addiction (page 613)
Personal Reflection
If I thought about losing my mom with every patient, would I collapse from emotional exhaustion by the end of the day? Would I be able to carry out my duties? Is it even humanly possible to reimagine this loss multiple times a day? (page 615)
Case Discussions in Palliative Medicine
Report of experience using epoprostenol in a dedicated palliative care unit and our inpatient protocol for the drug's administration. (page 619)
Book and Media Reviews
(page 623)
Recent Literature
(page 626)
MD Attitudes about Tube Feeding
This survey found many doctors and nurses in Japan rejected tube feeding for themselves but did not always refuse this option for their families. Professionals with frequent contact with tube-fed patients tended to reject this treatment for themselves. (page 561)
Proxy Report of Patient Symptoms
Researchers compared symptom ratings from hospice patients and their nurses. They found nursing assessment only modestly correlates with patient symptom rating and can significantly misrepresent the patient's actual symptom burden. (page 542)
Building Palliative Care and Communication Skills in Australia
Palliative care champions in Australia proposed the development of a communication skills workshop as a compulsory part of training to achieve accreditation as a palliative medicine specialist. This paper describes the development and subsequent evaluation of this module. (page 585)
End-of-Life Care for Elderly Cancer Patients
This retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare claims examined 235,821 patients with aggressive cancers between 2003 and 2007. They found that seniors dying with poor-prognosis cancer experience high-intensity care with rates varying by age, gender, and race. (page 548)
Bereavement Support for Parents
This qualitative study explores the complex and longitudinal nature of parental bereavement. Support before the death of a chronically ill infant can help parents experience smoother transitions from caring for their children to coping with their death and its aftermath. (page 579)
Hospital-Based Palliative Care
The authors surveyed all 351 acute care hospitals in California to examine the structure and characteristics of those hospitals with palliative care consultation services. (page 555)
Reflective Writing in Education
The authors conducted a thematic analysis of reflective writings by third-year medical students completing a mandatory week-long clinical rotation in palliative care. Student reflections centered on encounters with patients and families, internal emotional responses, and self-transformation. (page 535)
Hospice Volunteer Satisfaction
This study assessed the experiences of pediatric palliative care and hospice volunteers in order to guide interventions to improve quality and job satisfaction. (page 567)
Hospice Transfers: A New Standard?
Hospital discharges to hospice have increased over the past ten years. The authors conclude the growing trend toward hospice care upon discharge from US hospitals will likely impact health care finance and quality of care measures. (page 592)
Legacy Projects for Children
Researchers surveyed health care providers from 77 teaching children's hospitals across the US, and nearly all offer legacy-making activities to ill children and their families. Most activities were offered before a patient died and when cure was no longer possible. Perceived outcomes included benefit to bereaved families and a tangible memento of their deceased child. (page 573)
EOL Care in Canada
Most Canadians die in inpatient settings. The authors studied the availability of medical services, programs, and care for common palliative procedures in hospices, palliative care units, and hospital medical wards providing inpatient palliative care in Ontario. (page 527)