Palliative Care for Trauma Patients-PPT Handout - Palliative Care for Trauma Patients

PPT Handout - Palliative Care for Trauma Patients

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The article discusses the importance of integrating palliative care into trauma care for all trauma patients. It emphasizes that palliative care is not just for end-of-life situations but is a comprehensive approach that addresses the needs of patients and their families at all stages of trauma care. The article highlights three models of palliative care integration into trauma care and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of each approach.<br /><br />The article emphasizes that primary palliative care can and should be provided by the trauma team, and that trauma physicians should have basic primary palliative care skills. It also highlights the importance of early assessment and intervention, as well as the use of tools such as the Best Case/Worst Case communication tool.<br /><br />The article discusses the barriers to palliative care in trauma settings, such as surgeon-specific, patient-specific, and system-specific factors. It suggests practical tips for overcoming these barriers, including measuring and improving palliative care quality, addressing conflicts between surgeons and intensivists, and reminding healthcare providers of guidance from professional organizations.<br /><br />The article also presents research showing the benefits of palliative care in trauma settings, such as reducing ICU and hospital length of stay, reducing ventilator days, and improving comfort care without affecting mortality rates. It highlights the opportunities for palliative care in specific populations, such as pancreatic cancer patients and trauma patients over the age of 65.<br /><br />The article concludes by emphasizing the need for a structured approach to palliative care in trauma settings and the importance of building local capacity and resources for palliative care within institutions. It also suggests the use of resources such as VitalTalk for training and education on palliative care.<br /><br />Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of integrating palliative care into trauma care for all trauma patients and provides practical tips and strategies for implementing palliative care in trauma settings.

Keywords

palliative care

trauma care

integrating palliative care

primary palliative care

early assessment

barriers to palliative care

improving palliative care quality

benefits of palliative care

reducing length of stay

building local capacity