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Emergency Nurses’ Department Design Recommendations For Improved End-Of-Life Care, Renea L. Beckstrand, Elise M. Corbett, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Ryan J. Rasmussen

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Although death is common in emergency departments, there is limited research regarding ED design as an obstacle to end-of-life care. This study identifies emergency nurses’ recommendations regarding ways designs have negative or positive impact on care for dying patients and their families.

Methods: A 25-item questionnaire was sent to a national random sample of 500 emergency nurses. Inclusion criteria were nurses who could read English, worked in emergency departments, and had cared for at least 1 patient at the end of life (EOL). Responses were individually reviewed and coded.

Results: Major obstacles included (1) issues related to limited space, …

Critical Care Nurses’ Qualitative Reports Of Experiences With Family Behaviors As Obstacles In End-Of-Life Care, Renea L. Beckstrand, Caitlin Mallory, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Karlen E. Luthy

Faculty Publications

Background: Critical care nurses (CCNs) frequently provide end-of-life (EOL) care for critically ill patients. Critical care nurses may face many obstacles while trying to provide quality EOL care. Some research focusing on obstacles CCNs face while trying to provide quality EOL care has been published; however, research focusing on family behavior obstacles is limited. Research focusing on family behavior as an EOL care obstacle may provide additional insight and improvement in care.

Objectives: We wanted to gather firsthand experiences of CCNs regarding working with families of dying patients. We then wanted to determine the predominant obstacle themes noted when CCNs …

Critical Care Nurses’ Suggestions To Improve End-Of-Life Care Obstacles: Minimal Change Over 17 Years, Renea L. Beckstrand, Kacie Hart Hadley, Karlen E. Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Background: Critical-care nurses (CCNs) provide end-of-life (EOL) care on a daily basis as 1 in 5 patients dies while in intensive care units. Critical-care nurses overcome many obstacles to perform quality EOL care for dying patients.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to collect CCNs’ current suggestions for improving EOL care and determine if EOL care obstacles have changed by comparing results to data gathered in 1998.

Methods: A 72-item questionnaire regarding EOL care perceptions was mailed to a national, geographically dispersed, random sample of 2000 members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. One of 3 qualitative questions …

Rural Emergency Nurses’ Suggestions For Improving End-Of-Life Care, Renea L. Beckstrand, Kelly E. Smith, Karlen E. (Bethy) Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Many patient visits to emergency departments result in the patient dying or being pronounced dead on arrival. The numbers of deaths in emergency departments are likely to increase as a significant portion of the U.S. population ages. Consequently, emergency nurses face many obstacles to providing quality end-of-life (EOL) care when death occurs. The purpose of this study was to identify suggestions that emergency nurses have to improve EOL care, specifically in rural emergency departments.

Methods: A 57-item questionnaire was sent to 53 rural hospitals in 4 states in the Intermountain West, plus Alaska. One item asked nurses to identify …

Critical Care Nurses' Perceptions Of End-Of-Life Care Obstacles: Comparative 17-Year Data, Renea L. Beckstrand, Nicole Lamoreaux, Karlen E. Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Background: Nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently care for patients and their families at the end of life (EOL). Providing high-quality EOL care is important for both patients and families, yet ICU nurses face many obstacles that hinder EOL care. Researchers have identified various ICU nurse-perceived obstacles, but no studies have been found addressing the progress that has been made for the last 17 years.

Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the most common and current obstacles in EOL care as perceived by ICU nurses and then to evaluate whether meaningful changes have occurred since …

Emergency Nurses' Suggestions For Improving End-Of-Life Care Obstacles, Renea L. Beckstrand, R. Daniel Wood, Lynn C. Callister, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Sondra Heaston

Faculty Publications

Introduction: More than 123 million ED visits are reported annually. Many patients who arrive for care to help extend their lives instead die while in the emergency department. Emergency departments were designed to save lives rather than to provide optimal end-of-life (EOL) care. Emergency nurses care for these dying patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to determine what suggestions emergency nurses have for improving EOL care.

Methods: Emergency nurses were asked which aspects of EOL care they would like to see changed to improve how patients die in emergency departments. Of the 1000 nurses surveyed, 230 …

The Last Frontier: Rural Emergency Nurses’ Perceptions Of End-Of-Life Care Obstacles, Renea L. Beckstrand, Virginia C. Giles, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Lynn C. Callister, Sondra Heaston

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Caring for dying patients is part of working in a rural emergency department. Rural emergency nurses are prepared to provide life-saving treatments but find there are barriers or obstacles to providing end-of-life (EOL) care. This study was completed to discover the size, frequency, and magnitude of obstacles in providing EOL care in rural emergency departments as perceived by rural emergency nurses.

Methods: A 57-item questionnaire was sent to 52 rural hospitals in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Alaska. Respondents were asked to rate items on size and frequency of perceived obstacles to providing EOL care in rural emergency departments. …