Implementing Palliative Care Referrals for Patients being Discharged from Hospice Services: A quality Improvement Project

Webinar on 3^rd International Conference on Palliative Care & Hospice Nursing

February 21, 2022 | Webinar

Elisabeth Butler

Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nurs Res Pract

Abstract :

Background/Problem Statement: PROBLEM • Families/patients are expected to resume care of chronic illnesses on their own after hospice discharge. Most patients will continue to require complex care beyond their and their families’ ability. DEFINITION • Palliative care or palliative medicine is a patient-centered health care that delivers holistic treatment to patients with curable, chronic, or life-limiting illnesses (Center to Advance Palliative Care [CAPC], 2018). SOLUTION • Palliative care referrals for patients being discharged from hospice services will provide continuity of care for patients. Purpose Statement: • The purpose of the project is to obtain palliative care referrals for patients being discharged from hospice. • Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory and the Kellogg Logic Model of Program. • Assess hospice nurses’ knowledge about palliative care and comfort in discussing referrals when discharging patients from hospice. Review of Key Literature: A literature search did not reveal studies discussing or exploring palliative care for patients being discharged from hospice • Historical perspective on palliative care • What palliative care is and what it aims to do • Palliative care referrals • Palliative care education for nurses • Interprofessional team communication • Palliative Care Outreach Methods: Setting Any hospice center with a palliative care department. Participants Hospice and palliative care physicians, social workers, directors of nursing and area vice-presidents, hospice registered nurses and palliative care nurse practitioners.