https://doi.org/10.4081/ecj.2023.11308
A narrative review on palliative care in the emergency department: dealing with the uncertainty of death
Submitted: 13 March 2023
Accepted: 16 May 2023
Published: 23 June 2023
Accepted: 16 May 2023
Abstract Views: 1491
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
In the last decades emergency physicians have observed a steep increase in the emergency department (ED) admissions of palliative care patients who rely on the hospital for symptoms’ relief and management of acute exacerbations of their chronic disease. Previous studies have suggested that palliative care interventions in the ED could prevent unnecessary admissions and reduce both the length of hospitalization and costs. However, emergency medicine physicians might have limited specialistic education and resources to provide a correct management of palliative care patients and avoid futile interventions. Thus, we aim in this narrative review to provide the reader with an introduction on the principles that should guide the emergency physician in a correct approach to palliative care patients in the ED. We will explain how to deal with the intrinsic prognostic uncertainty of palliative care patients by implementing a correct ethical approach which encompasses the understanding of both appropriateness and futility of intervention; furthermore, we will present practical tools such as scores and trials.
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How to Cite
Porta, L., & Mauri, E. (2023). A narrative review on palliative care in the emergency department: dealing with the uncertainty of death. Emergency Care Journal, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/ecj.2023.11308
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