Impact of the Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care Project on Emergency Medicine Education and Practice

Abstract

of preference and 12 PC educational topics in order of importance. IV. Results. Forty-two of 45 eligible participants completed survey (28 residents, 14 faculty). A total of 88% were less than 40-years-old. Respondents agreed/strongly agreed that PC skills are an important competence for EM (83%, 33/40) and that they would like to have more training/education in PC (93%, 37/40). They also disagreed/ strongly disagreed that PC is when no more can be done for the patient (90%, 35/39). Important PC topics identified were pain-management, discussing advance directives, and management of dyspnea or other symptoms in terminal illness. Bedside-teaching was the preferred modality, followed by simulation, and lastly lectures. EM residents (43% to 58%) reported minimal training in pain management, managing hospice patients, withdrawal/withholding life-support, and managing the imminently-dying. There was no significant improvement in any area from postgraduate year 1 to postgraduate year 4. V. Conclusion. EM physicians view PC skills as important for EM practice and report that they are not yet adequately educated and trained in PC. VI. Implications for Research, Policy, or Practice. PC physicians have already identified the emergency department as the upstream point where ideally more PC interventions and goals of care discussions should begin. Educating and training EM physicians in basic PC skills will enhance communication, increase their awareness of a patient’s PC needs, and serve to strengthen this partnership with PC.