J Hosp Palliat Nurs. 2022 Apr 1;24(2):119-124. doi: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000825.
This pilot quality improvement project implemented an adapted screening tool within an outpatient oncology center for patients with advanced cancer to identify unmet patient needs, aid decision making, and increase the number of patients referred to palliative care. Baseline data were collected via retrospective convenience sampling to track the number of palliative care referrals generated from the oncology center. Over a 6-week period, screening was implemented during patient evaluations with their oncologist to identify needs for palliative care intervention and as a decision aid to support referring patients to a specialized palliative care service. During the pilot, key nursing staff were affected by COVID-19, and the ideal sample size was not met. Despite a small sample size, the number of palliative care referrals increased. The increased number of referrals affirms the use of a screening tool to identify palliative care needs and as a formal decision-making process to improve patient access to palliative care.
本试点质量改进项目在一家肿瘤门诊中心为晚期癌症患者实施了经过改编的筛查工具，以确定未满足的患者需求，辅助决策，并增加转介至姑息治疗的患者人数。通过回顾性便利抽样收集基线数据，以跟踪肿瘤中心生成的姑息治疗转介数量。在 6 周的时间里，在患者与肿瘤医生进行评估时实施了筛查，以确定姑息治疗干预的需求，并作为支持将患者转介至专门的姑息治疗服务的决策辅助工具。在试点期间，关键护理人员受到 COVID-19 的影响，且未达到理想的样本量。尽管样本量较小，但姑息治疗的转介数量有所增加。增加的转介数量证实了使用筛查工具来确定姑息治疗需求以及作为正式决策过程以改善患者获得姑息治疗的机会。
