Interprofessional Palliative Care Team Research Articles

Interprofessional Collaboration in Palliative Care—The Need for an Advanced Practice Nurse: An Ethnographic Study

ObjectivesThe literature highlights the importance of an interprofessional approach in palliative care to improve the quality of care, favoring an effective use of resources. Members of the interprofessional team include all professionals involved in patient care; in some contexts, the advanced practice nurse (APN) has a clearly defined role. This study aimed to define the possible role of the APN within the interprofessional palliative care team in our context. Data SourcesA focused ethnographic approach was taken involving participant observation and semistructured interviews. ConclusionFrom the participant observations, interaction of the participants, discussion content, and styles of meeting management were described. From the thematic analysis of the interviews, 15 themes emerged, grouped into four macro-themes: interprofessional collaboration, the interprofessional meeting, nurse's role, and developments. Implications for Nursing PracticeThe study has identified current nursing practice within the interprofessional palliative care team and areas where interprofessional collaboration can be improved. These are both organizational (role definition and team meeting management) and professional (development of nursing culture, expanded nursing role, and introduction of the APN within the team). Nurses must develop advanced skills to ensure more effective care for patients and caregivers. The introduction of an APN could be appropriate to address this need.

The Tapestry of Teamwork: Crafting a High Functioning Interprofessional Palliative Care Team

The Tapestry of Teamwork: Crafting a High Functioning Interprofessional Palliative Care Team

Psychosocial Distress Screening Among Interprofessional Palliative Care Teams: A Narrative Review

With increased need for palliative care and limited staffing resources, non-social workers are increasingly responsible for screening for urgent psychosocial distress. The National Consensus Project guidelines call for all palliative care team members to be competent in screening across domains. Yet, in contrast to an abundance of evidence-informed tools for palliative social work assessments, standardization for interprofessional psychosocial screening is lacking. This lack of standardized practice may lead to harmful disparities in care delivery. The purpose of this narrative review is to examine current literature on evidence-informed practices for psychosocial screening within palliative care. Google Scholar, a university Summon library search engine, and prominent palliative care journals were searched using the same phrases to locate articles for inclusion. Each article was reviewed and synthesized across common themes. Although an abundance of validated screening tools exists for outpatient oncology-specific settings, there is minimal guidance on psychosocial screening tools intended for specialty palliative care. The most oft-cited tools have been met with concern for validity across diverse palliative care populations and settings. Additional research is needed to operationalize and measure brief psychosocial screening tools that can be validated for use by interprofessional palliative care teams, a stepping-stone for increased equity in palliative care practice.

High-quality patient-centered palliative care: interprofessional team members’ perceptions of social workers’ roles and contribution

ABSTRACT A core tenet of interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is that efficient and effective teams are critical for the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care. Although palliative care has a history of excellent care, increasing demands and larger patient loads are challenging teams to adapt and strengthen team functioning in hospital settings. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the IPCP contributions of advanced palliative social workers (PSWs) through the eyes of their colleagues. Twenty-four interprofessional palliative care (IPPC) team members from other professions (i.e. nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants) from 16 hospitals across the U.S. participated in 20-minute semi-structured interviews. The Patient-Centered Clinical Method (PCCM) was used as a conceptual model to aid in the interpretation of the data. This model illuminated the centrality of PSWs’ role in building and sustaining a therapeutic alliance between the patient and the IPPC team, through assessing and promoting care that centers the patient’s experience with illness, creating space to initiate, process and revisit difficult healthcare conversations and helping to modulate the pace and intensity of emotionally laden discussions. PSWs also support the therapeutic relationship with the IPPC team by providing continuity and connection across and during the hospital experience and supporting the well-being of the IPPC team. This study offers novel insights into how PSWs contribute to patient-centered IPPC and furthers the articulation of the role of PSWs in hospital settings.

Fostering Humanism Through Stories: A Plea for Narrative Medicine in Palliative Care Education.

My gloved hand eased open the hospital room door. Wearing layers of personal protective equipment, I swished into the room to find Eli*, a one-year-old with leukemia, sitting in a rocking chair tucked into the arms of his mother. With practiced speech, I introduced myself as the fellow on the interprofessional palliative care team. Eli's mom explained that she had been expecting our team, and waved our group into the room. I smiled and pulled an extra chair across the floor, ready to absorb a story.

Specialty-Aligned Palliative Care: Responding to the Needs of a Tertiary Care Health System.

Expanding specialty palliative care within complex health systems involves consideration of patients' unmet needs, clinicians' perceptions of palliative care, and the availability of palliative care resources. Prior to this quality improvement (QI) project, palliative care services in our health system primarily served oncology patients. We undertook a prospective strategic planning process that included executive sponsorship and engagement of institutional leaders and clinicians to help define which palliative care services were most needed by the health system. We interviewed and surveyed a broad range of clinicians including physicians, nurse practitioners, and social workers. The two most prominent themes that emerged from the stakeholder engagement process were clinicians' wish for specialty-aligned interprofessional palliative care teams and for expansion of nononcology palliative care access. Careful needs assessment and stakeholder engagement can result in goal-directed and data-driven expansion of palliative care services within tertiary health care systems.

Rethinking Team Time: A Quality Improvement Project to Improve Interprofessional Palliative Care Team Meetings

Rethinking Team Time: A Quality Improvement Project to Improve Interprofessional Palliative Care Team Meetings

Existential Dimension and Spiritual Assistance in the “A. Gemelli” University Hospital in Rome: A Cross-Disciplinary and Sacramental Enhanced Dynamical Approach in Palliative Care

In the A. Gemelli university hospital in Rome, the presence of highly specialized inter-professional palliative care teams and spiritual assistants who are dedicated to their role in the service of inpatients is valuable to person-centered healthcare. Spiritual needs are commonly experienced by patients with sudden illness, chronic conditions, and life-limiting conditions, and, consequently, spiritual care is an intrinsic and essential component of palliative care. This paper focuses on the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to demonstrate the importance of spiritual care as an integral part of palliative care and highlights the need for all interdisciplinary team members to address spiritual issues in order to improve the holistic assistance to the patient. Over a 3-year period (October 2018–September 2021), data about the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick administered by the hospitaller chaplaincy were collected. A total of 1541 anointings were administered, with an average of 514 anointings per year, excluding reductions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 98% of cases, the sacrament was requested by health personnel, and in 96% of cases, the same health personnel participated in the sacrament. These results demonstrate that, at the A. Gemelli polyclinic in Rome, the level of training that the care team has received in collaboration with the chaplains has generated a good generalized awareness of the importance of integrating the spiritual needs of patients and their families into their care, considering salvation as well as health, in a model of dynamic interprofessional integration.

A National Survey of Palliative Care Team Compositions.

Objective: It is unclear how well palliative care teams are staffed at US cancer centers. Our primary objective was to compare the composition of palliative care teams between National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers and non-NCI-designated cancer centers in 2018. We also assessed changes in team composition between 2009 and 2018. Methods: This national survey examined the team composition in palliative care programs at all 61 NCI-designated cancer centers and in a random sample of 60 of 1252 non-NCI-designated cancer centers in 2018. Responses were compared to those from our 2009 survey. The primary outcome was the presence of an interprofessional team defined as a palliative care physician, nurse, and psychosocial member. Secondary outcomes were the size and number of individual disciplines. Results: In 2018, 52/61 (85%) of NCI-designated and 27/38 (71%) non-NCI-designated cancer centers in the primary outcome comparison responded to the survey. NCI-designated cancer centers were more likely to have interprofessional teams than non-NCI-designated cancer centers (92% vs 67%; P = .009). Non-NCI-designated cancer centers were more likely to have nurse-led teams (14.8% vs 0.0%; P = .01). The median number of disciplines did not differ between groups (NCI, 6.0; non-NCI, 5.0; P = .08). Between 2009 and 2018, NCI-designated and non-NCI-designated cancer centers saw increased proportions of centers with interprofessional teams (NCI, 64.9% vs 92.0%, P < .001; non-NCI, 40.0% vs 66.7%; P = .047). Conclusion: NCI-designated cancer centers were more likely to report having an interprofessional palliative care team than non-NCI-designated cancer centers. Growth has been limited over the past decade, particularly at non-NCI-designated cancer centers.

Esophageal Cancer: A Case Study of a Rare Metastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

The expected pattern of spread in metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma involves the upper torso and thorax. This article presents an unusual instance of an isolated osseous metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to the distal bone of the left ankle and describes the contributions of advanced practice nursing assessment and clinical judgment to improve patient outcomes. This case study also highlights comprehensive cancer care by an interprofessional palliative care team.

Pilot Qualitative Study of Informal Teachers in Interprofessional Collaboration and Practice

ContextNonphysician members of the interprofessional palliative care team often participate in teaching physicians and others in the context of workplace learning due to the interprofessional collaborative nature of the specialty. ObjectivesThis pilot study examines the beliefs of the nonphysician members of the interprofessional team about teaching physicians-in-training, the disciplinary training and expertise that informs their teaching, and approaches to teaching in the workplace. MethodsSemistructured interviews were conducted. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Initial open coding by two researchers identified the codes, and then the constant comparative method was used to find patterns by axial coding, categories, and themes within the data. ResultsOf the 10 health care professionals involved with palliative medical education at one academic medical center, six enrolled in the pilot. Those who participated included chaplains, nurses, a social worker, and a physician assistant. Three major themes were identified from the informal teachers: 1) using professional identity as a foundation for teaching, 2) teaching through experiential learning or debriefing, and 3) teaching to perceived gaps in physician training. ConclusionNonphysician members of the interprofessional team interacted with physicians-in-training guided by their discipline-based skills and perspectives on patient care. They directed their informal teaching toward perceived educational gaps using reflection and debriefing. Future studies could explore the educational roles of health care professionals across diverse institutions and specialties.

Assessment of a Statewide Palliative Care Team Training Course: COMFORT Communication for Palliative Care Teams.

Despite increased attention to communication skill training in palliative care, few interprofessional training programs are available and little is known about the impact of such training. This study evaluated a communication curriculum offered to interprofessional palliative care teams and examined the longitudinal impact of training. Interprofessional, hospital-based palliative care team members were competitively selected to participate in a two-day training using the COMFORT(TM SM) (Communication, Orientation and options, Mindful communication, Family, Openings, Relating, Team) Communication for Palliative Care Teams curriculum. Course evaluation and goal assessment were tracked at six and nine months postcourse. Interprofessional palliative care team members (n = 58) representing 29 teams attended the course and completed course goals. Participants included 28 nurses, 16 social workers, 8 physicians, 5 chaplains, and one psychologist. Precourse surveys assessed participants' perceptions of institution-wide communication performance across the continuum of care and resources supporting optimum communication. Postcourse evaluations and goal progress monitoring were used to assess training effectiveness. Participants reported moderate communication effectiveness in their institutions, with the weakest areas being during bereavement and survivorship care. Mean response to course evaluation across all participants was greater than 4 (scale of 1 = low to 5 = high). Participants taught an additional 962 providers and initiated institution-wide training for clinical staff, new hires, and volunteers. Team member training improved communication processes and increased attention to communication with family caregivers. Barriers to goal implementation included a lack of institutional support as evidenced in clinical caseloads and an absence of leadership and funding. The COMFORT(TM SM) communication curriculum is effective palliative care communication training for interprofessional teams.

Die interprofessionelle Zusammenarbeit als typisches Merkmal der Palliative Care - eine Falldiskussion

Interprofessional teamwork is a characteristic feature of palliative care. Palliative Care is a subspeciality/ discipline in health care that cares for patients with a life threatening illness. The patient determines individual goals and the extent of further treatment. The team supports patients in decision making, practical advice in symptom management and composition of the future care network. The case of a 58-year-old woman suffering from metastastic breast cancer is an extraordinary example of interprofessional teamwork in palliative care. The patient was hospitalized in a palliative care unit with a malignant bowel obstruction. She underwent ileostomy and chemotherapy. She required total parenteral nutrition and was suffering from anorexia-cachexia syndrome. During her stay in the palliative care unit, her condition deteriorated. Subsequently, her needs changed and she requested to leave the hospital for some days to see her daughter's new domicile. It was by the coordinated effort of the interprofessional palliative care team that this last wish got fulfilled and she died peacefully a few days after her return to the palliative care unit.

Participatory knowledge exchange to support palliative care in Chile: lessons learned through global health research.

The authors designed a participatory qualitative research study to develop a collaborative partnership between palliative care practitioners in Canada and in Chile. The research goal was to support the provision of palliative care in vulnerable settings through a participatory knowledge exchange process using qualitative and participatory methodologies. The study involved an interprofessional palliative care team from a primary health care centre in Chile and 5 adults receiving palliative care and their relatives. It also involved the participation of registered nurses and allied health professionals from a palliative home care team in Canada. Participatory knowledge exchange activities included teamwork with the primary health care team in Chile and a process of participatory knowledge exchange with palliative care clinicians in Chile and Canada. The study produced qualitative evidence on the efficacy of a process of participatory knowledge exchange with palliative care practitioners from 2 diverse settings.

Conscious Conversations: Managing Conflict and Collaboration in Interprofessional Palliative Care Teams (503)

1.Describe the evolution of the collaborative relationship of healthcare professionals working in palliative care.2.Identify factors that create barriers to effective team functioning.3.Describe strategies to strengthen interprofessional team functioning. Effective interprofessional team collaboration may be threatened by overlapping competencies, lack of role clarification, and unspoken hierarchical structures resulting in an undercurrent of resentment and inefficient use of team member time and expertise. Palliative care literature offers little guidance on how to minimize these threats in order to optimize team function. In this session we will provide a brief overview of the current literature on the evolution and known benefits for interprofessional collaboration and provide a practical framework for how to assess if your team is working effectively. Considering where our competencies and scopes of practice overlap, we will discuss potential contributors for intra-team turmoil as well as the enablers of enhanced collaboration. Vignettes will be used to illustrate situations that put the interprofessional team at risk for conflict or role confusion. Audience participation will be elicited to consider the varying perspectives of and approaches by a diverse set of team members. Using “conscious conversations” strategies will be offered for maximizing efficient team function and satisfaction. Structure and Processes of Care

Developing leadership in rural interprofessional palliative care teams

This project brought together community-based practitioners and academics to develop and deliver interventions designed to enhance the leadership abilities of the designated leaders of seven rural/small town-based palliative care teams. Members of these community-based teams have already gained recognition for their teams' leadership and service delivery in their communities. All of the teams had worked closely with most members of the academic team prior to this project. The team members participated in a needs assessment exercise developed by the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa Health Service and University of Ottawa academic team. Results of the needs assessment identified leadership qualities that had contributed to their success, as well as their needs to further enhance their individual leadership qualities. The team effort, however, was the most important factor contributing to the success of their work. The interventions developed to address the identified needs had to be adapted creatively through the collaborative efforts of both the community and academic teams. The educational interventions facilitated the integration of learning at the individual and community level into the busy work schedules of primary health care providers.