The legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic on critical care research: A descriptive interview study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged both research and clinical teams in critical care to collaborate on research solutions to new clinical problems. Although an effective, nationally coordinated response helped facilitate critical care research, reprioritisation of research efforts towards COVID-19 studies had significant consequences for existing and planned research activity in critical care.

Aims: Our aim was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic research prioritisation policies and practices on critical care research funded prior to the pandemic, the conduct of pandemic research, and implications for ongoing and future critical care research.

Assessing the sensitivity and acceptability of the Royal Marsden Palliative Care Referral "Triggers" Tool for outpatients with cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the use, acceptability, and experience of a seven-item palliative care referral screening tool in an outpatient oncology setting.

Methods: A two-phase convergent parallel mixed-methods study. Patient participants who met any of the "Royal Marsden Triggers Tool" criteria were compared with those who did not in terms of demographic data, palliative care needs (Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale, IPOS) and quality of life indicators (EORTC-QLQ-C30).

European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines on end of life and palliative care in the intensive care unit.

The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) has developed evidence-based recommendations and expert opinions about end-of-life (EoL) and palliative care for critically ill adults to optimize patient-centered care, improving outcomes of relatives, and supporting intensive care unit (ICU) staff in delivering compassionate and effective EoL and palliative care. An international multi-disciplinary panel of clinical experts, a methodologist, and representatives of patients and families examined key domains, including variability across countries, decision-making, palliative-care integration, communication, family-centered care, and conflict management. Eight evidence-based recommendations (6 of low level of evidence and 2 of high level of evidence) and 19 expert opinions were presented.

Guidance to inform research recruitment processes for studies involving critically ill patients.

Clinical research in intensive care units (ICUs) is essential for improving treatments for critically ill patients. However, invitations to participate in clinical research in this situation pose numerous challenges. Studies are frequently initiated within a narrow time window when patients are often unconscious and unable to consent.