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CAPC Palliative Care Discussion Forum
Palliative Care and the ICU
nurse driven PC protocols?Author: mcornell
Date: Mar 26, 2012 11:35 am
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On our 11-bed inpatient palliative care unit, we have a set of 18 research based palliative care symptom relief algorithms. If we order these algorithms (as "palliative care symptom relief algorithms"), our nurses may initiate any of these algorithms without additional MD/NP order. The detailed orders are then listed under each individual algorithm in our electronic medical record and allows for nurses to order them via point and click as written order by the provider who wrote the initial order for the algorithms. Additionally, providers throughout our institution can see, and use, our algorithms to be able to use our standard approach to symptom management. The difference is that our nursing staff has to follow the algorithms precisely while an advance practice nurse/PA or physician can use his/her judgment and skip a step/dose.
All providers throughout our institution also have the ability to order a palliative care consult. If it is not ordered by the primary team taking care of the patient, we will contact the primary team and determine how we can best help them (or the patient/staff caring for the patient if a formal consult is not requested by the primary team).