Digital Commons Network^™

Rompiendo Fronteras: Addressing Language Barriers In Hispanic Palliative Cancer Care, Carla Mcnulty, Catherine Finlayson

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic people, accounting for 20% of deaths (American Cancer Society, 2023). In 2024, the American Cancer Society predicted that 195,300 Hispanics would be diagnosed with cancer in the United States, and 50,400 (25%) would die from their disease, leaving approximately 144,900 (75%) living with cancer. As the Hispanic population rises in the United States, one can predict that cancer diagnoses will also increase. This is likely to result in a higher number of cancer-related deaths, as well as more individuals living with cancer. Consequently, there will be an increased demand for …

Factors Influencing Pediatric Palliative Care Utilization: A 12-Year Retrospective Study In Taiwan, Tzu-Ying Yang, Wei-Wen Wu, Frank Leigh Lu, Shao-Yi Cheng, Tsung-Hsien Yu, Kristin Berg

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background and objective: Pediatric palliative care (PPC) improves the quality of life for children with life-limiting conditions and their families by addressing physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. Despite increasing recognition of its benefits, PPC remains underutilized, particularly in Asian contexts where early integration and service accessibility are still limited. This study aimed to examine trends and factors influencing PPC utilization among deceased children in a tertiary children’s hospital in Taiwan from 2012 to 2023, to provide evidence on predictors for more equitable access to PPC.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using medical records of children aged 1–18 years who …

Culturally Diverse End-Of-Life Simulation And Perceptions In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Jodi Kay Olson, Mary Pesch, Julie Keller-Dornbusch

Biennial Convention (CONV)

End-of-life (EOL) patient care is a challenging reality that nearly all nurses will face during their careers. Preparing nursing students for these situations can alleviate anxieties related to patient death (Venkatasalu et al., 2015). Simulation-based learning is an effective approach for teaching complex scenarios like EOL care (Cannity et al., 2021), with numerous studies highlighting improved confidence and competence in students who participate in EOL simulations (Gillan et al., 2014; Tamaki et al., 2019; Venkatasalu et al., 2015; Lewis et al., 2016; Jablonski et al., 2020). However, the lack of cross-cultural variations in death and dying highlights the need for …

Navigating Challenges In Palliative Care: A Survey On Asco Guideline Adherence Among Health Care Providers In Low- And Middle-Income Countries., Cristiane Decat Bergerot, Enrique Soto-Perez-De-Celis, Chadane Thompson, Rushil Patel, Jafar Al-Mondhiry, Tingting Zhang, Nathasha Dhawan, Darcy Burbage, Joseph Mccollom Do, Mazie Tsang, Ramy Sedhom, William E Rosa

PCI Publications and Projects

PURPOSE: Integrating palliative care into oncology is essential, yet disparities in access and quality persist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ASCO guidelines advocate for early, routine, interdisciplinary palliative care for patients with advanced cancer. Barriers to implementing these recommendations include resource limitations, inadequate training, and cultural perceptions. Recognizing these challenges is essential for improving equitable access to palliative care worldwide.

METHODS: This prospective survey assessed adherence to ASCO recommendations for palliative care integration among LMIC health care providers (HCPs). Participants were recruited via e-mail, social media, and a list of members involved in the ASCO Palliative Care …

[Excerpt From] Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook: Quality, Compliance, And Reimbursement (4th Ed.), Tina M. Marrelli, Jennifer Kennedy

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

This item record pertains to an excerpt and additional resources from Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook: Quality, Compliance, and Reimbursement, Fourth Edition, which is provided free of charge by the publisher.

About this book: Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook, 4th Ed., offers updated coverage of all aspects of hospice and palliative care for the entire healthcare team who provide important care while meeting difficult multilevel regulations. This edition includes examples and strategies covering key topics related to standards, guidelines, goals, and effective care planning.

New to this edition are:

• Expanded pediatric and geriatric clinical care guidelines
• More robust …

Choices Related To Maximizing Quality Of Life At End Of Life, Theresa Lynn

Dissertations

Humans, including those residing in the United States, can live in denial of their own mortality. Because of this, futile care is sometimes provided, often at great monetary expense and for little or no return in terms of quality or length of life. At least two opportunities exist for making choices regarding care at the end of life in the U.S.: completing advance directives and choosing hospice care.

Prognosis Does Not Change The Landscape: Palliative Home Care Clients Experience High Rates Of Pain And Nausea, Regardless Of Prognosis, Nicole Williams, Kirsten Hermans, Tara Stevens, John P. Hirdes, Anja Declercq, Joachim Cohen, Dawn M. Guthrie

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Most individuals who typically receive palliative care (PC) tend to have cancer and a relatively short prognosis (< 6 months). People with other life-limiting illnesses can also benefit from a palliative care approach. However, little is known about those who receive palliative home care in Ontario, Canada's largest province. To address this gap, the goal of this project was to understand the needs, symptoms and potential differences between those with a shorter (< 6 months) and longer prognosis (6+ months) for individuals receiving PC in the community.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using interRAI Palliative Care (interRAI PC) assessment data collected between 2011 and 2018. Individuals with a shorter prognosis (< 6 months; n = 48,019 or 64.1%) were compared to those with a longer prognosis (6+ months; n = 26,945) across several clinical symptoms. The standardized difference (stdiff), between proportions, was calculated to identify statistically meaningful differences between those with a shorter and longer prognosis. Values of the stdiff of 0.2 or higher (absolute value) indicated a statistically significant difference.

Results: Overall, cancer was the most prevalent diagnosis (83.2%). Those with a shorter prognosis were significantly more likely to experience fatigue (75.3% vs. 59.5%; stdiff = 0.34) and shortness of breath at rest (22.1% vs. 13.4%; stdiff = 0.23). However, the two groups were similar in terms of severe pain (73.5% vs. 66.5%; stdiff = - …

“The System Is Well Intentioned, But Complicated And Fallible” Interviews With Caregivers And Decision Makers About Palliative Care In Canada, Nicole Luymes, Nicole Williams, Liz Garrison, Donna Goodridge, Maria Silveira, Dawn M. Guthrie

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Canadian palliative care (PC) philosophy seeks to support individuals in a person-centered and sensitive manner. Unfortunately, philosophy does not necessarily translate into practice and this divide may leave patients without appropriate care at the end of life, causing distress for some families. The primary goal of the study was to identify key factors affecting perceptions of quality PC from the perspective of informal caregivers and decision makers (e.g., program managers) and to understand how their experiences within the health care system may have influenced their perceptions.

Methods: Nine caregivers and 11 decision makers from Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta, …

Essential Package Of Palliative Care For Women With Cervical Cancer: Responding To The Suffering Of A Highly Vulnerable Population, Eric L. Krakauer, Khadidjatou Kane, Xiaoxiao Kwete, Gauhar Afshan, Lisa Bazzett-Matabele, Danta Dona Ruthnie Bien-Aimé, Lawrence F. Borges, Sarah Byrne-Martelli, Stephen Connor, Raimundo Correa

Department of Anaesthesia

Women with cervical cancer, especially those with advanced disease, appear to experience suffering that is more prevalent, complex, and severe than that caused by other cancers and serious illnesses, and approximately 85% live in low- and middle-income countries where palliative care is rarely accessible. To respond to the highly prevalent and extreme suffering in this vulnerable population, we convened a group of experienced experts in all aspects of care for women with cervical cancer, and from countries of all income levels, to create an essential package of palliative care for cervical cancer (EPPCCC). The EPPCCC consists of a set of …

The Essential Characteristics Of An Effective Hospice And Palliative Care Nurse, Alexis Doyle

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Cervical Cancer-Associated Suffering: Estimating The Palliative Care Needs Of A Highly Vulnerable Population, Eric L. Krakauer, Xiaoxiao Kwete, Khadidjatou Kane, Gauhar Afshan, Lisa Bazzett-Matabele, Danta Dona Ruthnie Bien-Aimé, Sarah Byrne-Martelli, Stephen Connor, Raimundo Correa, C R Beena Devi C R Beena Devi

Department of Anaesthesia

Purpose: To enable design of optimum palliative care for women with cervical cancer, we studied the most common types of suffering and their severity, prevalence, and duration.
Methods: We first reviewed the literature on the major types, severity, prevalence, and duration of suffering associated with cervical cancer. We then conducted a modified Delphi process with experts in cervical cancer care to supplement the literature. For each type of suffering, we distinguished between decedents (those who die from cervical cancer in a given year) and nondecedents (those who have cervical cancer in a given year but do not die). By applying …

Adoption Of Macy Catheter By Aurora At Home Hospice Staff: A Quality Improvement Evaluation Study, Patrick Herson, Kavita Sharma, Kristi Barfield, Nora Clapsaddle

Aurora Hospice/Palliative Medicine Fellows

Background: The Macy Catheter (MC) is a tool to aid rectal delivery of oral medications in microenemas. In 2019, Aurora Health at Home hospice chose the MC as a preferred route for delivery of medications when patients no longer tolerate the oral route. Despite training, adoption of the MC has been slow.

Purpose: To determine what barriers exist to faster adoption and utilization of the MC by hospice nursing staff. It is anticipated that once the barriers are identified they will be addressed through a campaign of quality improvement projects with subsequent monitoring of adoption.

Methods: An anonymous survey was …

A Palliative Approach To Care In The Last 12 Months Of Life, Registered Nurses' Association Of Ontario

General Submissions: Community and Population-based Materials

This best practice guideline (BPG) provides evidence-based recommendations to nurses and the interprofessional health team who support adults experiencing the last 12 months of a progressive life-limiting illness, and their families and caregivers. The goals of the recommendations are to:

• improve delivery of psychosocial, spiritual and culturally safe care
• enhance co-ordination of care
• facilitate supportive work environments

The BPG applies to all practice settings in which people require palliative care and end-of-life care services (for example, acute care, community care, long-term care). Specifically, this BPG will focus on persons experiencing the last 12 months of progressive life-limiting illness and their …

Urban And Rural Alaskan Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Regarding Palliative Care, Mary Bernadette Cavalier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Palliative care provides multidisciplinary treatment of the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of patients and families with serious illnesses. Alaska has the highest per capita rates of serious illnesses in the United States, but many Alaskans lack access to palliative care. Using Engel’s biopsychosocial model of care, Saunders’ total pain theory, and Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, the purpose of this study was to assess the role of physicians regarding palliative care access in Alaska. This quantitative multivariable regression analysis examined the relationship between 133 Alaskan physicians’ knowledge and attitudes (independent variables) and their behaviors (dependent variable) regarding palliative care; …

Central Coast Vna Palliative Care Volunteer Program, Jacquelyn Taueetia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Central Coast VNA Visiting Nurse Association provides the highest quality health care to patients through physicians, hospice medical directors, nurses, medical social workers, spiritual care counselors, and volunteers. VNA currently does not have a volunteer program specifically for palliative care patients for their Palliative Care Team. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and family by addressing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs (VNA, 2019). 94.9% of patients are referred to VNA because they need support for the patient and family …

Conversations Had At Trying Times (Chatt): Development & Testing Of An Advance Care Planning Simulation, Amisha Parekh De Campos

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This presentation will describe a simulation study in advance care planning called Conversations Had at Trying Times (CHATT). This two-phase study consists of simulation development, through standardized guidelines, and simulation testing among registered nurses. The simulation outcomes focus on empowering RNs to have patient-centered conversations in a safe environment.

Creating Opportunities For Research Collaboration, Megan E. Pfitzinger Lippe, Polly M. Mazanec, Andra Davis

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This presentation will describe how nurse educators and researchers from across the country collaborated to explore implementation and outcomes of incorporating the End of Life Nursing Education Consortium Undergraduate (ELNEC-UG) online modules into their respective programs.

Threading Elnec Undergraduate Modules Across Existing Nursing Courses, Andra Davis, Megan E. Pfitzinger Lippe, Casey Shillam

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This presentation will discuss diverse approaches at three universities to incorporate ELNEC-Undergraduate (ELNEC-UG) modules across multiple courses throughout a program of study. These exemplars reflect innovative approaches to integrate the new palliative care prelicensure education without creating major curricular changes.

Nurse's Comfort In Palliative Care: A National Survey, Amisha Parekh De Campos, Kyounghae Kim

Biennial Convention (CONV)

A cross-sectional survey of nurses in the United States showed comfort in caring for palliative and hospice care patients required at least five years of experience. Even after five years, opportunity existed to increase comfort levels. Training registered nurses in advance care planning should be a priority in patient care.

Short-Stay Palliative Pain Management For Southwestern Va: Process Improvement Plan, Christopher M. Rumsey

DNP and Student Works

The increased demand for palliative care services has led to concerns regarding workforce knowledge specific to palliative pain management for patients with life-limiting illnesses. Educational preparedness of nurses along with best processes and practices are necessary to promote optimal care for patients requiring palliative pain management. Through analyzing Veterans Administration (VA) Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) data, a deficiency in short-stay self-reported palliative Veteran (patient) pain management at the Southwestern (SWVAMC) a level 1B, tertiary care referral center was identified. Best practices in the palliative care industry were identified, and a quality improvement plan in the form of …

Elnec Core Module 1: Palliative Nursing Care, Betty Rolling Ferrell, Pamela Malloy, Polly M. Mazanec, Judith Ann Paice, Patrick Coyne

General Submissions: Presentations (Oral and Poster)

Describe the role of the nurse in providing quality palliative care for patients across the lifespan. Identify the need for collaborating with interdisciplinary team members while implementing the nursing role in palliative care. Recognize changes in population demographics, healthcare economics, and service delivery that necessitate improved professional preparation for palliative care. Describe the philosophy and principles of hospice and palliative care that can be integrated across settings to affect quality care at the end of life. Discuss aspects of assembling physiological, psychological, spiritual, and social domains of quality of life for patients and families facing a life‐threatening illness or event.

Elnec Pediatric 2018: Module 1, Betty Rolling Ferrell, Pamela Malloy, Polly M. Mazanec, Judith Ann Paice, Patrick Coyne, Amy Haskamp

General Submissions: Presentations (Oral and Poster)

Principles of Hospice & Palliative Care for Children

Child and family as unit of care with attention to caregiver support

Adolescents and young adults have distinctive needs

Attention to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs

Fatigue-Related Symptom Clusters And Their Relationship With Depression, And Functional Status In Older Adults Hospice Patients With Cancer., Suzan Fouad Abduljawad

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The hospice care population with cancer are often older adults who report many cancer-related symptoms experienced often in clusters. Most prevalent of these symptoms is fatigue and often it co-occurs with depressive symptoms and poor physical functioning. This dissertation examined fatigue, symptom clusters, depression, physical activity, and functional status in older adults with cancer. The aims of the literature review were to understand the relationship among physical functioning, cancer fatigue, fatigue-related symptom clusters, and their relationship with functional status In older adults. The literature related to these associations is insufficient and inconclusive. The methods section aimed to investigate the reliability …

[Excerpt From] Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook (3rd Ed.), Tina M. Marrelli

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

This item record pertains to an excerpt from Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook(3rd ed.), provided free of charge by the publisher.

About this book: Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook (3rd ed.), offers concise, focused coverage of all aspects of hospice and palliative care for clinicians, managers, and other team members who provide important care while meeting difficult multilevel regulations. Author Tina M. Marrelli, Director of the first U.S. hospice program to attain Joint Commission accreditation for hospice services, helps caregivers meet quality, coverage, and reimbursement requirements in daily practice and documentation. Filled with key topics such as professional standards …

Knowledge And Attitudes Of Emergency Room Nurses Regarding Palliative Care Patients, Pearl Alethea Harrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Palliative care (PC) is the comprehensive management of patients diagnosed with terminal illness. Care for PC patients focuses on relieving symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference between pretest and posttest scores on the Frommelt Attitude towards the Care of the Dying (FATCOD) and the Palliative Care Quiz for Nurses (PCQN) after an educational intervention to emergency department (ED) nurses. The framework for this project was Bandura's social cognitive theory. The FATCOD was used to assess ED nurses' attitudes toward PC, and the PCQN was used to assess ED nurses' knowledge about PC prior to the …

Importance Of Palliative Care In End-Stage Liver Disease: A Rising Global Issue, Renee Pozza, Bonita Huiskes, Anna Marie Hefner

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The disease and management of end stage liver disease is a complex issue requiring a multi-disciplinary team approach. Often these individuals seek care from a variety of providers with resulting fragmentation and variable outcomes. This presentation aims to identify applicability from heart failure guidelines for palliative care to ESLD.

Growing The Next Generation Of Nurse Leaders In Palliative Care: An International Case Study, Kathryn A. Pfaff, Linda J. Patrick, Laurie Freeman-Gibb

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This session will report a case study evaluation of an innovative palliative care scholarship program that funds graduate nursing students from Canada and the UK to learn and translate evidence-based practices in palliative care. Positive outcomes for the participating scholars, universities, communities, and hospices are highlighted.

Gaps In Palliative Care Provision In Saskatchewan, Canada: Learning From Palliative Care Management, Susan Eva Fowler-Kerry, Louise Racine

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: This study is part of an ongoing project to develop a working knowledge about the long-standing uneven development and delivery of palliative care in Saskatchewan, Canada; subsequently providing a foundation for continuing study and facilitating practical improvement of palliative care programs.

Methods: The results to be presented are based on the current stage of this project, the analysis of longitudinal survey data which were collected from the management personnel of palliative care in each health region in 1998, 1999 and 2002. The three surveys are composed of both close-ended and open-ended questions, therefore both quantitative and qualitative analysis are …

Screening For Palliative Care Patients By Utilizing Clinical Decision Support Within The Electronic Health Record, Tanja Baum, Ruth A. Bush, Caroline Etland, Cynthia D. Connelly

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Approximately $1.3 million annually can be saved when 500 palliative care consults are completed within the acute care setting. With 90 million Americans, of whom 20% are Medicare recipients that suffer from chronic medical conditions, 500 consults are not a distant number. The electronic clinical decision support and utilization of triggers to identify individuals who might benefit from palliative care using an algorithm within the electronic health record (EHR) can enable the multidisciplinary team to facilitate palliative care services.

The purpose of this feasibility study was to utilize variables available in the EHR of palliative care patients receiving palliative …

An Ethical Argument For A Specific Model Of Palliative Care In Nigeria, Dozie Egbe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The need for palliative care in Nigeria is huge. But Nigeria has minimal palliative care activity that does not correspond to the great palliative care needs in the country. The great needs are heightened by poverty and poverty induced conditions. However, Nigeria has untapped sociocultural values that can boast palliative care in the country. Such values can be activated and constructively integrated in the practice of palliative care in Nigeria.

This project looks back to what palliative care has been in history and in developed nations to argue for a constructive and positive manner palliative care can evolve in Nigeria …