COVID-19 as a Catalyst for Teaching Advance Care Planning.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Huang DC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8787733 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
COVID-19 as a Catalyst for Teaching Advance Care Planning.
Huang Dora C DC Buss Mary K MK Hayes Margaret M MM
ATS scholar 20211025 4
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Project description:ObjectiveDescribe a systematic approach to address advance care planning (ACP) during a COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the incidence of new do-not-hospitalize (DNH) directives among long-term care (LTC) residents.DesignProspective quality improvement initiative.SettingTwo long-term chronic care campuses within a large academic healthcare organization.ParticipantsLTC residents with activated healthcare proxies who lacked DNH directives based on documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR) as of April 13, 2020.InterventionUsing a structured discussion guide, trained healthcare staff from various disciplines contacted the residents' proxies to conduct COVID-19 focused ACP discussions. Residents without DNH directives with COVID-19 were prioritized. Preferences ascertained in the discussion were communicated to the residents' primary care teams and directives were updated in the EMR accordingly.MeasurementsResidents who acquired a new DNH directive during the study initiative were determined using the EMR. Subsequent changes in DNH orders, hospitalizations, and deaths were ascertained by retrospective chart review from the date of new DNH through August 5, 2020.ResultsAt baseline, 315/581 (54%) of LTC residents did not have a DNH directive. Their mean age was 87 (±9) years and 70% were female. Following ACP discussions, 124/315 (39%) of residents acquired a new DNH directive. Among residents with new DNH directives, 65/124 (52%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 from April 2, 2020 to May 21, 2020. During follow-up, only 6/124 (4.8%) residents had their DNH order reversed, 2/124 (1.6%) residents were hospitalized with illnesses unrelated to COVID-19, and 29/124 (23%) died.ConclusionsThere was substantial opportunity to increase the proportion of LTC residents with DNH orders during the COVID-19 pandemic through a systematic ACP initiative which utilized real-time EMR data. New directives to avoid hospitalizations were sustained among the majority of residents beyond the peak of the pandemic.
| S-EPMC8013602 | biostudies-literature
Project description:COVID-19 may cause sudden serious illness, and relatives having to act on patients' behalf, emphasizing the relevance of advance care planning (ACP). We explored how ACP was portrayed in newspapers during year one of the pandemic. In 'LexisNexis Uni', we identified English-language newspaper articles about ACP and COVID-19, published January-November 2020. We applied content analysis; unitizing, sampling, recording or coding, reducing, inferring, and narrating the data. We identified 131 articles, published in UK (n = 59), Canada (n = 32), US (n = 15), Australia (n = 14), Ireland (n = 6), and one each from Israel, Uganda, India, New-Zealand, and France. Forty articles (31%) included definitions of ACP. Most mentioned exploring (93%), discussing (71%), and recording (72%) treatment preferences; 28% described exploration of values/goals, 66% encouraged engaging in ACP. No false or sensationalist information about ACP was provided. ACP was often not fully described. Public campaigns about ACP might improve the full picture of ACP to the public.
| S-EPMC10491734 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Learning and education are two of the biggest world issues of the current pandemic. Unfortunately, it is seen in this work that, due to the length of the incubation period of Covid-19, full opening of schools in the Fall of 2020 seems to be impractical unless the spread of the virus is completely under control in the surrounding region (e.g. with fewer than 5 active cases every million people). In order to support the possibility of some in-person learning, we model the diffusion of the epidemic within each single school by an SEAIR model with an external source of infection and a suitable loss function, and then evaluate sustainable opening plans. It turns out that blended models, with almost periodic alternations of in-class and remote teaching days or weeks, are generally (close to) optimal. In a prototypical example, the optimal strategy prescribes a school opening of 90 days out of 200 with the number of Covid-19 cases among the individuals related to the school increasing by about 67% with respect to no opening, instead of the about 200% increase that would have been a consequence of full opening. As clinical fraction is low in children, these solutions could lead to very few or no symptomatic cases within the school during the whole school year. Using the prevalence of active cases as a proxy for the number of pre- and asymptomatic, we get a preliminary indication for each country of whether either full opening, or blended opening with frequent testing, or no school opening at all, is advisable.
| S-EPMC7528848 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe concepts of advance care planning (ACP) and advance decisions/directives (ADs) are widely recognized around the world. The Patient Right to Autonomy Act in Taiwan, the first of its kind in Asia, went into effect in 2019. However, a lack of knowledge and confidence regarding ACP and ADs is a barrier for medical professionals in discussing ACP and ADs with their patients. In addition, in Asian countries, physicians tend to make family-centered decisions, which influence how they can implement ADs.MethodsVirtual reality (VR) is known for its immersive and interactive simulation experience and can upgrade medical education. We developed a VR teaching module to help medical professionals better understand ACP and ADs, with assessment tools integrated into the module. The participants were asked to answer seven knowledge items embedded in the module and fill out the surveys regarding attitudes toward ACP and ADs and confidence in implementing ADs before and after the module. They also reported behaviors related to ADs before and three months after the VR experience.ResultsFrom July 2020 to June 2022, 30 physicians and 59 nurses joined the study, and 78.7% of them had no prior experience in hospice care. After learning from the VR module, all 89 participants were able to answer all seven items correctly. The results showed a slightly more positive attitude toward ACP and ADs (scores: 32.29 ± 3.80 versus 33.06 ± 3.96, p < .05) and more confidence in implementing ADs (scores: 13.96 ± 2.68 versus 16.24 ± 2.67, p < .001) after the VR module. Changes in AD-related behaviors (scores: 11.23 ± 4.01 versus 13.87 ± 4.11, p < .001) were also noted three months after the VR experience.ConclusionsThis study found that medical professionals may have better knowledge of ACP and ADs, slightly improved attitudes toward ACP and ADs, and greater confidence in implementing ADs after experiencing the VR module. Most importantly, the findings suggested that using a VR format may help motivate medical professionals to perform essential behaviors related to ADs, including introducing ADs to their patients and discussing ADs with their own family.
| S-EPMC10845462 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAdvance care planning (ACP) promotes care consistent with patient wishes. Medical education should teach how to initiate value-based ACP conversations.ObjectiveTo develop and evaluate an ACP educational session to teach medical students a value-based ACP process and to encourage students to take personal ACP action steps.DesignGroups of third-year medical students participated in a 75-minute session using personal reflection and discussion framed by The Conversation Starter Kit. The Conversation Project is a free resource designed to help individuals and families express their wishes for end-of-life care.Setting and participantsOne hundred twenty-seven US third-year medical students participated in the session.MeasurementsStudent evaluations immediately after the session and 1 month later via electronic survey.ResultsMore than 90% of students positively evaluated the educational value of the session, including rating highly the opportunities to reflect on their own ACP and to use The Conversation Starter Kit. Many students (65%) reported prior ACP conversations. After the session, 73% reported plans to discuss ACP, 91% had thought about preferences for future medical care, and 39% had chosen a medical decision maker. Only a minority had completed an advance directive (14%) or talked with their health-care provider (1%). One month later, there was no evidence that the session increased students' actions regarding these same ACP action steps.ConclusionA value-based ACP educational session using The Conversation Starter Kit successfully engaged medical students in learning about ACP conversations, both professionally and personally. This session may help students initiate conversations for themselves and their patients.
| S-EPMC5730505 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose of Review: A significant number of pregnancies are complicated by a fetus with a life-limiting diagnosis. As diagnoses are made earlier in the pregnancy, families experience anticipatory grief and are faced with navigating goals of care for a baby that has yet to be born. With the support of the care team, families can begin to grieve, plan, and make meaningful memories during the duration of the pregnancy, the birth of their baby, and life of the child. Creating a palliative care birth plan, which expands beyond the traditional concept for delivery planning to include prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal care has become an important method for parents to process the diagnosis, for parents to document their wishes, and for members of the care team to communicate with the goal of supporting and enhancing the experience of the family. This articles reviews recent and relevant literature on the importance of birth planning and the role of perinatal palliative care when a life-limiting fetal diagnosis is made. Recent Findings: The process of birth planning is an important component of perinatal palliative care. Through this process, families can express their fears, values, hopes, and wishes. It also offers an opportunity for providers to communicate these wishes for the remainder of the pregnancy, the delivery, birth, and time afterwards. This has been demonstrated to decrease maternal stress and promote family centered care. Summary: Perinatal birth planning is an important component of perinatal palliative care when a fetus has a life-limiting diagnosis. The process of birth planning can be supportive and therapeutic as well as an important communication tool. With multiple practices and designs of perinatal palliative care programs, there are no standard tools even though important components have been identified. Ultimately, the strategies outlined here can be used as advance care planning tools.
| S-EPMC7505922 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted advance care planning discussions in care homes, particularly discussions involving relatives and surrogate decision makers. There is a need to collate and examine current evidence to assess the extent of the problem.AimTo examine the processes and experiences involved in advance care planning in care homes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignA critical realist review and synthesis.Data sourcesMEDLINE, psycINFO, SCOPUS and CINAHL were searched between December 2019 and May 2022.ResultsEleven studies were included. Communication difficulties associated with remote technologies meant that care home staff's concerns about engaging effectively with relatives further exacerbated the emotional toll of dealing with high death rates in circumstances where staff shortages stretched the capacity of those remaining to provide timely advance care planning discussions. The threat of the pandemic tended to encourage earlier and more frequent advance care planning discussions, though this tendency was partially countervailed by the difficulties that some residents and relatives had in engaging with remote communication modes. There was evidence that education and training in advance care planning increased staff's confidence and readiness to engage in care planning during pandemic conditions.ConclusionResults highlight part of the new context facing staff, relatives and residents in care homes, thus providing valuable insight for future intervention development required to maintain and improve the effectiveness of advance care planning in care homes during and beyond the pandemic.
| S-EPMC9659704 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC10958534 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveDespite recognized benefits, engagement in Advance Care Planning (ACP) remains low. Research into peer-facilitated, group ACP interventions is limited. This study investigated the acceptability of community-led peer-facilitated ACP workshops for the public and whether these workshops are associated with increased knowledge, motivation and engagement in ACP behaviors.MethodsPeer-facilitators from 9 community organizations were recruited and trained to deliver free ACP workshops to members of the public with an emphasis on conversation. Using a cohort design, workshop acceptability and engagement in ACP behaviors was assessed by surveying public participants at the end of the workshop and 4-6 weeks later.Results217 participants returned post-workshop questionnaires, and 69 returned follow-up questionnaires. Over 90% of participants felt they gained knowledge across all 6 learning goals. Every ACP behavior saw a statistically significant increase in participant completion after 4-6 weeks. Almost all participants were glad they attended (94%) and would recommend the workshop to others (95%).ConclusionThis study revealed an association of peer-facilitated ACP workshops and completion of ACP behaviors in public participants.InnovationThis innovative approach supports investment in the spread of community-based, peer-facilitated ACP workshops for the public as important ACP promotion strategies.
| S-EPMC10474229 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC8043319 | biostudies-literature