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An evaluation of the activity of a 7-day, nurse-led specialist palliative care service in an acute district general hospital.
Int J Palliat Nurs. 2013 Mar;19(3):148-50
Authors: Hall S, Davies A
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This report describes the activity of a new 7-day-per-week, nurse-led palliative care service in an acute district general hospital in the UK.
METHODS: The service is based in a hospital with an integral cancer centre. On the weekends, one clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is present within the hospital, with a consultant providing telephone support. The data for this report was obtained by reviewing the team's clinical database and the patients' individual clinical assessments.
RESULTS: During the first year, the CNSs undertook 651 face-to-face weekend consultations. Overall, 25% of the total consultations and 18% of new patient consultations were undertaken on the weekends. The primary reasons for reviewing patients on the weekends were pain (46%), other symptoms (27.5%), and patient on the Liverpool Care Pathway (17%). Overall, 23% of new patients died over the weekend or in the early hours of the Monday morning.
CONCLUSIONS: This service evaluation provides evidence of the value of having a 7-day-per-week palliative care service in an acute district general hospital.
PMID: 23665573 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]