• Title/Summary/Keyword: End of Life Care

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A Wireless ECG monitoring System for Application in Life Emergency Event Detection and Analysis (긴급환자 상황인식 및 분석을 위한 무선 ECG모니터링 시스템)

  • Bhardwaj Sachin;Lee Dae-Seok;Chung Wan-Young
    • Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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    • 2006.05a
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    • pp.421-425
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    • 2006
  • An ubiquitous healthcare system for the home care of elderly persons was designed and implemented using wireless sensor network technology. The wireless technology for home-care purpose gives new possibilities for monitoring of vital parameter with wearable biomedical sensors, and will give the patient the freedom to be mobile and still be under continuously monitoring and thereby to better quality of patient care. Emphasis is placed on recent advances in wireless ECG system for cardiac event monitoring with particular attention to arrhythmia detection in patient. This paper presents a diagnostic system for cardiac arrhythmias from ECG data, using wireless sensor technology. The system also provides an application for recording activities, events and potentially important medical symptoms. The hardware allows data to be transmitted wirelessly from on-body sensor to the base station and then to PC/PDA. Data is also transmitted to a back-end server for analysis using wireless internet connection. Experiments were conducted using the system for activity monitoring, exercise monitoring and medical screening tests and present preliminary data and results.

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Management of Enteral Nutrition in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Prokinetic Effects of Amoxicillin/Clavulanate in Real Life Conditions

  • Chiusolo, Fabrizio;Capriati, Teresa;Erba, Ilaria;Bianchi, Roberto;Atti, Marta Luisa Ciofi degli;Picardo, Sergio;Diamanti, Antonella
    • Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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    • v.23 no.6
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    • pp.521-530
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    • 2020
  • Purpose: Malnutrition is a common feature in critically ill children. Enteral nutrition (EN) is the main strategy to nutritionally support critical ill children, but its use can be hindered by the development of intolerance. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of amoxicillin/clavulanate (A/C) to treat EN intolerance. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit from October 2018 to October 2019. We conducted a case-control study: in the first 6 months (October 2018-April 2019) we implemented the nutritional protocol of our Institution with no drug, whereas in the second half (May 2019-October 2019) we employed A/C for 1 week at a dose of 10 mg/kg twice daily. Results: Twelve cases were compared with 12 controls. At the final evaluation, enteral intake was significantly higher than that at baseline in the cases (from 2.1±3.7 to 66.1±27.4% of requirement, p=0.0001 by Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test) but not in the controls (from 0.2±0.8 to 6.0±14.1% of the requirement, p=NS). Final gastric residual volume at the end of the observation was significantly lower in the cases than in the controls (p=0.0398). The drug was well tolerated as shown by the similar safety outcomes in both cases and controls. Conclusion: Malnutrition exposes critically ill children to several complications that affect the severity of disease course, length of stay, and mortality; all may be prevented by early EN. The development of intolerance to EN could be addressed with the use of A/C. Future prospective clinical trials are needed to confirm these conclusions.

Nurse's Experience of Changing Role in the Hospice Unit of Medical Ward (호스피스병동 간호사의 역할 변화 경험)

  • Kim, Hyun-Joo;Ku, Jeong-Il;Byun, Jun-Hye;Kim, Su-Mi;Choe, Wha-Sook
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.30-41
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: This study was designed to investigate various role changes of nurses who have cared both medical cases and hospice patients and what they experienced. Methods: Focus group interviews were done 3 times and participants were 12 nurses who have worked in the hospice unit of medical ward. Results: Role changes in 4 areas such as holistic care, end-of-life care, care fur rare givers, and coordination of hospice team were reported by the participants. What they felt were as follows : fear, confusion, maturation, increasingly labor, regret, accomplishment, sympathy and depression. Conclusion: Although hospice care in general medical ward added extra tasks, it helped clinical nurses recover professional identity and led to growth of nursing by acquiring new knowledge and skill in hospice care.

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The Hospital Life of the Patient with Femoral Neck Fracture (대퇴경부 골절 환자의 입원 생활)

  • Kim, Kyung-Ja;Chi, Sung-Ai
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.35-56
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    • 1996
  • Nowerdays, the increase of traffic accidents and old age population make the Femoral Neck Fracture(FNF) patients increase. By the improvement of education and standard of living the patients demand better medical service than before. This study is designed to give practical help for the FNF patients by observing their hospital life and establish practical nursing strategies for the FNF patients. For these purposes the Ethnographic Participant Observation was adopted. By this study is focused on the hospital life patient's view. For this end, the field study adopted orthopedic ward in the C University Hospital with 400 beds in Seoul. The object patients of the study were twelve patients. The patients experienced five stages : Embarrassment, Conflict, Stability, Independent, and Extension Stage. The findings and prepared nursing strategies are stated as follows. First, in the Embarrassment Stage they suffered embarrassment, anxiety, pain, they could not do ordinary things. The patients who accidental fractures had anxiety from unfamiliar tests and from hospitalization itself. They lamented that they could not ordinary things, and do nothing but obeying the hospital, and endure the pain. They recognized the changed environment and resigned themselves to life in the ward. In this stage, full openness by the nurses is needed. Second, the attribute of the Conflict Stage were conflict, fear, curiosity, belief, reflection. When they sign the consentment form, they experience conflicts about the possibility of complication, fear of recovery from anesthesia, curiosity about the operation procedure, post - operation state, reflection on their past life, and promise to care for their family members after discharge and keep their religious life faithfully. And they accepted the operation depending on God, believing in modern medicine, and the surgeon. Asking for their changed informations, they expected positive results from the operation. In this stage, an empathic attitude by the nurses is needed. Third, the attribute of the Stability Stage were relief, gratitude, difficulty with excretion, and pain. When they awoke from anesthesia, they felt relief because of a the end of the operation, but they experienced extreme pain, difficulty of excretion in bed. They accepted the changed environment and expected recovery. In this stage, support by the nurses is needed. Fourth, the attributes of the Independence Stage were freedom, exercise, nurturing, anxiety, and discomfort. When they ambulated and exercised, they experienced freedom. They showed exhibited weakness of the digestive organs and discomfort hospital's space, structure, and facilities, the delay of medical certificate issue the lack of prompt response by the medical agents. They ate nurturious food and felt anxiety on the end of hospital life and returning to their ordinary life. They showed the independence of overcoming their environment by increasing exercise and expected their discharges. In this stage, respect by the nurses is needed for the patients to, overcome their environment and prepare for their independence. Fifth, the attributes of the Extension Stage were pessimism, isolation, dissatisfaction, and pain. Accompanied injury and old age made their ward life extend to over seven weeks. They exhibited weariness, melancholy, skeptisis, general pessimistic feeling, and desperation caused by their isolated life. They experienced the digestive discomfort caused by the prolonged medication and psycological pain caused by long-time hospitalization. As a, result, their dissatisfaction on the human, physical, and systematic environments had been increased. They acquired critical power and sought for something to do spending their time. They expected vaguely about the returning of their ordinary life. In this stage, counseling is needed by the nurse to overcome positively their psychological, social, and physical problems. The process of the FNF patient's ward life starts from the dependent state, when they are hospitalized, and gradually progresses to self-fulfillment in order to keep independent life. As a result, the FNF patients showed "Response in Challenge" or "Adaptation in Conflict" through their experiences of social, physical, and psychological difficulties.

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Recent Trends in the Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment in Patients with Acute Cerebrovascular Disease : 2017-2021

  • Seung Hwan Kim;Ji Hwan Jang;Young Zoon Kim;Kyu Hong Kim;Taek Min Nam
    • Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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    • v.67 no.1
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    • pp.73-83
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    • 2024
  • Objective : The Act on Life-Sustaining Treatment (LST) decisions for end-of-life patients has been effective since February 2018. An increasing number of patients and their families want to withhold or withdraw from LST when medical futility is expected. This study aimed to investigate the status of the Act on LST decisions for patients with acute cerebrovascular disease at a single hospital. Methods : Between January 2017 and December 2021, 227 patients with acute cerebrovascular diseases, including hemorrhagic stroke (n=184) and ischemic stroke (n=43), died at the hospital. The study period was divided into the periods before and after the Act. Results : The duration of hospitalization decreased after the Act was implemented compared to before (15.9±16.1 vs. 11.2±18.6 days, p=0.127). The rate of obtaining consent for the LST plan tended to increase after the Act (139/183 [76.0%] vs. 27/44 [61.4%], p=0.077). Notably, none of the patients made an LST decision independently. Ventilator withdrawal was more frequently performed after the Act than before (52/183 [28.4%] vs. 0/44 [0%], p<0.001). Conversely, the rate of organ donation decreased after the Act was implemented (5/183 [2.7%] vs. 6/44 [13.6%], p=0.008). Refusal to undergo surgery was more common after the Act was implemented than before (87/149 [58.4%] vs. 15/41 [36.6%], p=0.021) among the 190 patients who required surgery. Conclusion : After the Act on LST decisions was implemented, the rate of LST withdrawal increased in patients with acute cerebrovascular disease. However, the decision to withdraw LST was made by the patient's family rather than the patient themselves. After the execution of the Act, we also observed an increased rate of refusal to undergo surgery and a decreased rate of organ donation. The Act on LST decisions may reduce unnecessary treatments that prolong end-of-life processes without a curative effect. However, the widespread application of this law may also reduce beneficial treatments and contribute to a decline in organ donation.

The Medico-Legal and Ethical Problems of Withholding / Withdrawing of Futile Life-Sustaining Mechanical Respirator treatment (연명(延命)치료적 인공기계호흡요법의 보류(保留)/중지(中止)를 전후한, 법의학적 및 윤리적 문제들과 그 대처방안)

  • KIM, Keun-Youl
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.58 no.3
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    • pp.213-229
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    • 2005
  • The first and the longest criminal indictment case of Korean medico-legal battle, so called BORAMAE Hospital Incident, was finally on its end by Korean Supreme Court's decision on June 24, 2004, after 7 years long legal dispute via Seoul District Court and Seoul Superior Appeal Court's decision. Boramae Hospital case was the first Korean legal case of Withdrawing Life-sustaining treatment of mechanical respirator on 58 years old Extradural Hematoma victim who was on Respirator under Coma after multi-organ failure postoperatively(APACHE II score: 34-39). Two physicians who have involved patient's care and had helped to make discharge the Near-death patient to home after repeated demand of patient's wife, due to economic reason, were sentenced as homicidal crime. This review article will discuss the following items with the review of US cases, Quinlan(1976), Nancy Cruzan(1990), Barber (1983), Helen Wanglie(1990), Baby K (1994) and Baby L cases, along with Official Statement of ATS and other Academic dignitaries of US and World.: [1] Details of Boramae Hospital incident, medical facts description and legal language of homicidal crime sentence. [2] The medical dispute about the legal misinterpretation of patient's clinical status, regarding the severity of the victim with multi-organs failure on Respirator under coma with least chance of recovery, less than 10% probability. [3] Case study of US, of similar situation. [4] Introduction of ATS official Statement on Withdrawing/ Withholding Life sustaining treatment. [5] Patient Autonomy as basic principle. [6] The procedural formality in Medical practise for keeping the legitimacy. [7] The definition of Medical Futility and its dispute. [8] Dying in Dignity and PAS(Physician Assisted Suicide)/and/or Euthanasia [9] The Korean version of "Dying in Dignity", based on the Supreme Court's decision of Boramae Hospital incident (2004.6.24.) [10] Summary and Author's Note for future prospects.

A Study on the Association between Healthcare Utilization and the Burden of Families Caring for the Elderly in the Last 6 Months of Life (노인의 사망 전 6개월간 의료이용수준과 간병가족의 가족부담과의 관련성)

  • Yi, Jee-Jeon;Lee, Hee-Na;Ohrr, Hee-Choul;Jung, Hye-Young;Yi, Sang-Wook
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.36 no.4
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    • pp.332-338
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    • 2003
  • Objective : To investigate the relationship between medical expenses and the burden of families caring for the elderly in the last 6 months of life, and to evaluate the factors relating to the burden of family caregivers. Methods : The families of 301 persons older than 65 years, who died between 1 July and 31 December 2001, and were registered in Resident-based- Health Insurance Programs in Seoul, were interviewed. The medical expenses and length of stay among the elderly were collected from Korean Health Insurance Corporations. Results : 31 percents of the elderly had no medical expenses in the last 6 months of life. On average, the objective burden (4.92) was higher than the subjective burden (3.35). Families caring for male elderly had a higher burden. With increasing age af death, the objective burden was significantly increased. The burden on a family seemed to be influenced more by the family income than the property of the elderly. With increasing total health care costs, the objective burden on the family caregivers was significantly increased, but with increasing medical expenses, the subjective burden was significantly decreased. Conclusion : An association between healthcare utilization and burden on families was observed. The reason for the decreasing subjective burden when medical expenses were decreased was unclear. Further research will be needed.

Chronic persistent post-surgical pain following staging laparotomy for carcinoma of ovary and its relationship to signal transduction genes

  • Saxena, Ashok Kumar;Chilkoti, Geetanjali T;Chopra, Anand K;Banerjee, Basu Dev;Sharma, Tusha
    • The Korean Journal of Pain
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.239-248
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    • 2016
  • Background: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of chronic persistent post-surgical pain (CPPP) and the role of signal transduction genes in patients undergoing staging laparotomy for carcinoma ovary. Methods: The present observational study was undertaken following institutional ethical committee approval and informed consent from all the participants. A total 21 patients of ASA grade I to III with age 20-70 years, scheduled for elective staging laparotomy for carcinoma ovary were included. Patients were excluded if had other causes of pain, cognitive dysfunction or chronic neurological disorders. Statistical analysis of pool data was done using SPSS version-17. For various scales like GPE, PDQ, NPSI, the visual analogue scale (VAS), global perceived effect (GPE), the pain DETECT questionnaire (PDQ), and neuropathic pain symptoms inventory (NPSI), one factor repaeted measure ANOVA applied with simple contrast with baseline as on post-operative day 1 (considered as reference and compared with subsequent time-interval), and the P values were adjusted according to "Bonferroni adjustments". In patients with CPPP, the ${\Delta}ct$ values of mRNA expressions of genes at the end of postoperative day 90 were compared with the baseline control values by one factor repeated ANOVA. P value < 0.005 significant. Results: The present study demonstrates 38.1% (8 out of 21 patients) incidence of CPPP. The functional status and quality of life as were observed to be significantly diminished in all patients with chronic pain. An up-regulation in the mRNA expression of signal transduction and a positive correlation was noted between the mRNA expression of signal transduction genes and VAS score in all patients with CPPP at the end of postoperative day 90. Conclusions: The reported incidence of CPPP in patients with carcinoma ovary was 38.1%. An up-regulation and positive correlation between mRNA expression of signal transduction genes and VAS score depicts its potential role in the pathogenesis of CPPP.

The Characteristics of Terminally Ill Cancer Patients in Hospice and Palliative Care according to Family Composition (가족 구성에 따른 호스피스 완화의료 말기암환자의 특성)

  • Park, Sang Mi;Hwang, Sun Wook;Han, Kyung Do
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.137-143
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    • 2018
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the family composition of terminally ill cancer patients admitted to the hospice unit and how it affects their hospice care. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of terminal cancer patients who died in one hospice unit between January 2009 and March 2014. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were examined, and any different made by their marital status was evaluated. We calculated the time interval between cancer diagnosis and hospice admission and the survival period from hospice admission to death and analyzed their association with family composition. Results: When divided by the median time of 13 months between diagnosis and admission, Group B (>13 months) had a significantly higher proportion of patients living with their spouses; (P<0.01). The main decision maker was a spouse (52.9%) in Group B; (P=0.04). Conclusion: Among the characteristics of the family composition, the presence of spouse was an important factor associated with admission to a hospice unit. Clinicians need to be aware of the impact of marital status on end-of-life care. This study indicates that it is helpful to understand family composition of terminallyill cancer patients for an effective palliative and hospice care.

Symptom Experience in Terminal Cancer Patients during the Last 48 Hours of Life (말기 암환자의 임종 전 48시간 동안의 임상증상)

  • Sim, Yun-Su;Kim, Do-Yeun;Nam, Eun-Mi;Lee, Soon-Nam
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.10 no.4
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    • pp.190-194
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    • 2007
  • Purpose: Individual cancer patients often experience many symptoms that impair their quality of life at the end of life. Identifying symptoms at the terminal stage of cancer patients and possible imminent death prediction by using that assessment can assist physicians and patients in preparing the 'peaceful death'. This study examines symptom experience during the last 48 hours of life of terminal cancer patients, and determines whether symptom experience change with proximal to death. Methods: The medical records of 89 patients who died with terminal cancer at a hospital between July 1, 2003 and March 31, 2006 were reviewed. Symptom prevalence at the last 48 hours was analyzed along with the change of symptom experience at the admission, $48{\sim}24$ hours, and $24{\sim}0$ hours before death. Results: Median age of all patients was 62 years old (range $16{\sim}97$). During the last 48 hours, symptom prevalence was described as follows; unclear consciousness (57%), pain (30%), fever (22%), and dyspnea (19%). According to the primary site, unclear consciousness was notified the most frequent symptom, but fever was relatively high prevalence in patients of biliary origin cancer rather than other site cancer (P=0.012). As death was Impending, the prevalence of poor appetite and general weakness were decreased, while that of unclear consciousness was increased, which were all statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The presence of unclear consciousness could be regarded as the symptom indicator as imminent death of terminal canter patients.

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