Patients' and physicians' beliefs and attitudes towards integrating personalized risk estimates into patient education about left ventricular assist device therapy.

Background: Personalized risk (PR) estimates may enhance clinical decision making and risk communication by providing individualized estimates of patient outcomes. We explored stakeholder attitudes toward the utility, acceptability, usefulness and best-practices for integrating PR estimates into patient education and decision making about Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).

Methods And Results: As part of a 5-year multi-institutional AHRQ project, we conducted 40 interviews with stakeholders (physicians, nurse coordinators, patients, and caregivers), analyzed using Thematic Content Analysis.

Networking Ethics: A Survey of Bioethics Networks Across the U.S.

Ethics networks have emerged over the last few decades as a mechanism for individuals and institutions over various regions, cities and states to converge on healthcare-related ethical issues. However, little is known about the development and nature of such networks. In an effort to fill the gap in the knowledge about such networks, a survey was conducted that evaluated the organizational structure, missions and functions, as well as the outcomes/products of ethics networks across the country.

Constructing the story: How nurses work with families regarding withdrawal of aggressive treatment in ICU – A narrative study.

Background: Specific communication practices used by experienced intensive care nurses who are comfortable working with dying patients and their families in ICU to reach consensus on withdrawal of aggressive treatment and shift to palliative care are lacking in the literature. However, there are seven international qualitative studies relevant to this research. Important themes related to communication were composed of four elements: general communication and relationship building, recognizing the need to transition to palliative care, facilitating palliative care, and providing dignified care through to death.