Outcome in patients perceived as receiving excessive care across different ethical climates: a prospective study in 68 intensive care units in Europe and the USA.

ABSTRACT: PURPOSE:Whether the quality of the ethical climate in the intensive care unit (ICU) improves the identification of patients receiving excessive care and affects patient outcomes is unknown. METHODS:In this prospective observational study, perceptions of excessive care (PECs) by clinicians working in 68 ICUs in Europe and the USA were collected daily during a 28-day period. The quality of the ethical climate in the ICUs was assessed via a validated questionnaire. We compared the combined endpoint (death, not at home or poor quality of life at 1 year) of patients with PECs and the time from PECs until written treatment-limitation decisions (TLDs) and death across the four climates defined via cluster analysis. RESULTS:Of the 4747 eligible clinicians, 2992 (63%) evaluated the ethical climate

SUBMITTER: Benoit DD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6061457 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature