May 03, 2021
Overview
Commencement of End of Life Care within the Emergency Department includes discussion of End of life goals , wishes & Advanced Care planning. Emergency Department staff should access the End of Life Care QRG for further information.
Alignment to Western Health Best Care Framework:
Right Care & Person-Centred Care
Why is this important:
It is often difficult to predict when a person will die. A number of terms are used to describe this period, including actively dying, terminal phase or last days or hours of life. Triggers that may indicate a person has entered this phase are:
- Ongoing deterioration despite optimal clinical care
- Increasing difficulty swallowing or taking oral medications
- Increasing disinterest in food or fluid
- Profound weakness, decrease in function and being bed bound
- Drowsiness or sleeping for extended periods of time.
What does this look like in practice?
- Commence management of dying patient chart & checklist.
- Symptom observation & management.
- Breakthrough medications subcutaneously or syringe driver commenced.
- Regular personal care needs & repositioning.
- Family & patient education & support.
- Air mattress.
- Resuscitation plan completed
- Ceased unnecessary monitoring & medications.
- Contact pastoral care if requested.
- Purple life tree picture outside of patients room.
Performance
- Percentage of patients with completed Management of Dying Patient chart
- Feedback
- Riskman
QRGS
End of Life Care
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