Back to Search
Start Over
Beliefs of physician directors on the management of devastating brain injuries at the Canadian emergency department and intensive care unit interface: a national site-level survey.
- Source :
-
Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie [Can J Anaesth] 2024 Aug; Vol. 71 (8), pp. 1145-1153. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Apr 03. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Purpose: Insufficient evidence-based recommendations to guide care for patients with devastating brain injuries (DBIs) leave patients vulnerable to inconsistent practice at the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU) interface. We sought to characterize the beliefs of Canadian emergency medicine (EM) and critical care medicine (CCM) physician site directors regarding current management practices for patients with DBI.<br />Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of EM and CCM physician directors of adult EDs and ICUs across Canada (December 2022 to March 2023). Our primary outcome was the proportion of respondents who manage (or consult on) patients with DBI in the ED. We conducted subgroup analyses to compare beliefs of EM and CCM physicians.<br />Results: Of 303 eligible respondents, we received 98 (32%) completed surveys (EM physician directors, 46; CCM physician directors, 52). Most physician directors reported participating in the decision to withdraw life-sustaining measures (WLSM) for patients with DBI in the ED (80%, n = 78), but 63% of these (n = 62) said this was infrequent. Physician directors reported that existing neuroprognostication methods are rarely sufficient to support WLSM in the ED (49%, n = 48) and believed that an ICU stay is required to improve confidence (99%, n = 97). Most (96%, n = 94) felt that providing caregiver visitation time prior to WLSM was a valid reason for ICU admission.<br />Conclusion: In our survey of Canadian EM and CCM physician directors, 80% participated in WLSM in the ED for patients with DBI. Despite this, most supported ICU admission to optimize neuroprognostication and patient-centred end-of-life care, including organ donation.<br /> (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Subjects :
- Humans
Canada
Cross-Sectional Studies
Critical Care
Attitude of Health Personnel
Surveys and Questionnaires
Male
Female
Withholding Treatment statistics & numerical data
Emergency Medicine
Adult
Intensive Care Units organization & administration
Emergency Service, Hospital statistics & numerical data
Physician Executives
Brain Injuries therapy
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1496-8975
- Volume :
- 71
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38570415
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-024-02749-7