No place like home: A case study of a patient discharged from an Intensive Care Unit for end of life care at home. (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, David; Hall, Donna; Parke, Geraldine; Lane, Rebecca; Gray, Alison
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Intensive Care Society. Volume 19:Number 3(2018:Aug.)
• Page Start: 259
• Page End: 263
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: Critical care -- palliative care -- terminal care -- advance care planning -- discharge planning; Critical care medicine -- Periodicals; Intensive care units -- Periodicals; 616.028
• DOI: 10.1177/1751143717751324
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-1437

Abstract

Introduction: Both in the UK and internationally, discharge from an intensive care unit to home for end of life care is a rare and challenging occurrence. These challenges include clinicians' ability to identify appropriate patients in whom it is possible to communicate with about their wishes and preferences, the critical nature of their condition and the interface between hospital and community services. Method: We present a case report of a patient who had been admitted to hospital with a myocardial infarction and subsequently suffered a cardiac arrest, from which he was successfully resuscitated. Subsequently, he suffered multi-organ failure, but despite treatments, the ceiling of care was reached. With a poor prognosis, medical and nursing staff engaged in advance care planning to determine his wishes and preferences at the end of life and to facilitate his discharge from the intensive care unit to his home. Conclusion: This case study has highlighted that through good communication amongst patients, families and professionals and collaborative working across boundaries and organisations, appropriate patients in the critical care setting can have a real choice regarding where they wish to be cared for and die at the end of their life.