Abstract
Abstract Background: Integration of palliative care for intensive care unit (ICU) patients is important but often challenging, especially in surgical ICUs (SICUs), in part because many surgeons equate palliative care with terminal care and failure of restorative care. SICU nurses, who are key front-line clinicians, can provide insights into barriers for delivery of optimal palliative care in their setting. Methods: We developed a focus group guide to identify barriers to two key components of palliative care—optimal communication regarding prognosis and optimal end-of-life care—and used the tool to conduct focus groups of nurses providing bedside care in three SICUs at a tertiary care, academic, inner city hospital. Using content analysis technique, responses were organized into thematic domains that were validated by independent observers and a subset of participating nurses. Results: Four focus groups included a total of 32 SICU nurses. They identified 34 barriers to optimal communication regarding prog...
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