Abstract
Letters to the Editor
Advocating that the Bayesian-estimated rate model might be preferable over the life expectancy and trajectory model, in planning palliative care for patients of heart disease. (page 580)
Brief Reports
A retrospective review of patients with cancer who received subcutaneous lidocaine infusions for pain. (page 667)
Fast Facts and Concepts
Abuse-Deterrent Formulations #329 (page 676)
High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy in Palliative Care #330 (page 679)
Personal Reflection
I feel I owe Michael that as a way of saying goodbye and as a way of keeping his full memory with me. Instead it escapes me and in many ways that emptiness feels like even more of a betrayal. If I can't remember now, how will I in the future? If I can't do this for Michael, how will I do it for other children I lose? (p 681)
Book and Media Reviews
(page 687)
Recent Literature
(page 688)
Hospice and Free Care
In a national survey, 80% of hospice agencies reported using internal funds and accessing community resources to provide patients with basic social needs not routinely covered by insurance, including food, shelter, utility bills, and funeral costs. (page 642)
Impact of Delirium on Symptom Control
The authors reviewed more than 300 patients admitted to an inpatient palliative care unit and found 29% developed delirium during their stay. Although there was no difference in length of stay, the patients with delirium had worse symptom control (including pain, depression, and anxiety) than patients without delirium. (page 638)
Measuring Quality of Life
This study describes a first step toward validating a single-item measure of quality of life for seriously ill patients. (page 604)
Simulation Training for Advance Care Planning Discussions
This report describes the addition of simulation training with standardized patients to an advance care planning facilitator course at a large multisite health system, including the development of a formative feedback tool. (page 631)
Self-Care by Palliative Care Clinicians
This study examined the perceptions and practices of self-care among 372 palliative care nurses and medical providers in Australia. (page 625)
Cultural Awareness and Effective Communication
Researchers conducted a thematic analysis of focus groups and interviews with 57 clinicians who care for a diverse South Asian community in a Midwestern U.S. city and identified challenges in ensuring effective interpretation, identifying a spokesperson, and understanding differing cultural norms. (page 611)
Understanding End-of-Life Issues in an Inuit Community
The authors looked at the sociocultural, historical, and geographic factors shaping end-of-life care for Inuit families in northern Quebec, including the intersection between professional healthcare providers and traditional family-based care. They conclude that a sustainable care model requires respectful collaboration among governing structures, healthcare institutions, and community members. (page 647)
Healthcare Use in the Very Old
In surveys of more than 1200 elderly patients enrolled in a national study, researchers found that preferences for more aggressive medical care were not significantly associated with inpatient or emergency-room treatment. (page 618)