Interdisciplinary model for palliative care in the trauma and surgical intensive care unit: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Demonstration Project for Improving Palliative Care in the Intensive Care Unit.
Integrating palliative care into the surgical and trauma intensive care unit is challenging. The nature of surgical illness, practice patterns of surgeons and critical care nurses, and the culture of the intensive care unit all suggest that familiar models of palliative care do not apply in this setting. We describe a novel interdisciplinary model of palliative care in the surgical intensive care unit, which addresses communication, shared decision making, and pain and symptom management for all critically ill patients, regardless of prognosis. This communication-based model integrates new processes of care into existing surgical critical care practice so that palliative care can be provided in parallel with surgical care.
Mosenthal
Anne C
AC
Department of Surgery, New Jersey Medical School-University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
Murphy
Patricia A
PA
D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*