Deprescribing Medications in Comfort Care Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Bryce Manton (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: With advancements in medical care, life expectancy has increased in the United States, leading to more patients needing outpatient or inpatient hospice, or palliative care services. While in hospice care, performing a medication reconciliation to determine which medications benefit the patient and should be continued versus those that can be deprescribed is essential. Providers often overlook the deprescribing of medications in the comfort care population in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This leads to polypharmacy, a decreased quality of life for the patient, and an increased time burden on the nurses. This Quality Improvement project aimed to educate ICU nurses to remind the provider to complete a medication reconciliation and deprescribe non-comfort care medications on patients transitioning to comfort care. Education was provided to the nursing staff using a screenshot of the current comfort care order set in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and a modification of an evidenced-based tool that the nurse presents in daily rounds. Data was collected from the EMR and recorded in a spreadsheet created in Excel. Data from the post-implementation period revealed a 40% increase in medication reconciliations completed and about a 70% increase in non-comfort care medications deprescribed in patients who transitioned to comfort care. In conclusion, further research needs to be conducted on this topic. Additionally, this project benefited the unit and could be replicated in similar units to ensure all patients transitioning to comfort care have the best quality of life for their last few days.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Manton, B. (2023). Deprescribing medications in comfort care patients in the intensive care unit (DNP Scholarly Project, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship.

Language: English

Date: 2023

Subjects

polypharmacy\; deprescribing\; intensive care unit (ICU)\; comfort care

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