Introducing palliative care into the intensive care unit: An interventional study

Background: Many Intensive Care Unit (ICU) deaths include patient and family suffering. While there is a need to include palliative care in the ICU, such care is often unavailable.

Objectives: To determine whether a course in ICU Palliative Care was associated with changes in participants' palliative care knowledge, attitudes and practices.

Methods: Four cohorts of a national Israeli course in ICU palliative care (N = 122) were followed. Data were collected on the first and last day of a six-month course and 2-5 years later.

Results: Statistically significant differences were found in palliative care attitudes and practices, with knowledge levels and quality of death and dying stable after course completion. Participants reported obtaining knowledge and skills necessary to introduce palliative care but were thwarted by organizational barriers.

Conclusions: The course was successful in building participants capacity to provide palliative care however; barriers made introduction of palliative care into the ICU difficult.