Document Detail


A comparison of methods to communicate treatment preferences in nursing facilities: traditional practices versus the physician orders for life-sustaining treatment program.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20649687     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between two methods to communicate treatment preferences (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program vs traditional practices) and documentation of life-sustaining treatment orders, symptom assessment and management, and use of life-sustaining treatments.
DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study conducted between June 2006 and April 2007.
SETTING: A stratified, random sample of 90 Medicaid-eligible nursing facilities in Oregon, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
PARTICIPANTS: One thousand seven hundred eleven living and deceased nursing facility residents aged 65 and older with a minimum 60-day stay.
MEASUREMENTS: Life-sustaining treatment orders; pain, shortness of breath, and related treatments over a 7-day period; and use of life-sustaining treatments over a 60-day period.
RESULTS: Residents with POLST forms were more likely to have orders about life-sustaining treatment preferences beyond cardiopulmonary resuscitation than residents without (98.0% vs 16.1%, P<.001). There were no differences between residents with and without POLST forms in symptom assessment or management. Residents with POLST forms indicating orders for comfort measures only were less likely to receive medical interventions (e.g., hospitalization) than residents with POLST full treatment orders (P=.004), residents with traditional do-not-resuscitate orders (P<.001), or residents with traditional full code orders (P<.001).
CONCLUSION: Residents with POLST forms were more likely to have treatment preferences documented as medical orders than those who did not, but there were no differences in symptom management or assessment. POLST orders restricting medical interventions were associated with less use of life-sustaining treatments. Findings suggest that the POLST program offers significant advantages over traditional methods to communicate preferences about life-sustaining treatments.
Authors:
Susan E Hickman; Christine A Nelson; Nancy A Perrin; Alvin H Moss; Bernard J Hammes; Susan W Tolle
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Multicenter Study; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of the American Geriatrics Society     Volume:  58     ISSN:  1532-5415     ISO Abbreviation:  J Am Geriatr Soc     Publication Date:  2010 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-07-23     Completed Date:  2010-09-14     Revised Date:  2011-08-01    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7503062     Medline TA:  J Am Geriatr Soc     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1241-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. hickman@iupui.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Advance Directives*
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cohort Studies
Communication*
Female
Forms and Records Control
Humans
Male
Medical Records
Patient Preference*
Resuscitation Orders*
Retrospective Studies
Skilled Nursing Facilities*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
NR009784/NR/NINR NIH HHS; R01 NR009784-02/NR/NINR NIH HHS
Comments/Corrections

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