Resuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative study

Abstract Background Having a hematological malignancy increases the risk of a poor-quality end of life and of dying in intensive care. There is no prognostic score to predict survival on admission to intensive care, but many patients die there. To identify the criteria used in deciding to transfer p...

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Main Authors: Violaine Bordier, Marilène Filbet, Corinne Sissoix, Colombe Tricou, Bruno Pereira, Virginie Guastella
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:BMC Palliative Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01624-y
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author Violaine Bordier
Marilène Filbet
Corinne Sissoix
Colombe Tricou
Bruno Pereira
Virginie Guastella
author_facet Violaine Bordier
Marilène Filbet
Corinne Sissoix
Colombe Tricou
Bruno Pereira
Virginie Guastella
author_sort Violaine Bordier
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Having a hematological malignancy increases the risk of a poor-quality end of life and of dying in intensive care. There is no prognostic score to predict survival on admission to intensive care, but many patients die there. To identify the criteria used in deciding to transfer patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. Methods It is a qualitative study. For each patient with a hematological malignancy who died in intensive care, the resuscitator and hematologist involved in the decision to transfer the patient to intensive care were contacted. The study ran at Lyon Sud Hospital Center, between 1 November 2018 and 30 April 2019. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with data triangulation. Seventeen doctors were contacted, and 17 interviews were conducted. Results When transferring a patient with a hematological malignancy to intensive care, we identified (i) patient-specific decision criteria for the transfer, namely prognosis of the disease and treatments received, and (ii) decision criteria specific to hematologists and resuscitators, namely difficulty confronting management failure, convenience of transfer to the ICU for hematologists, and attachment of hematologists to their patients. Conclusion Organizational convenience of transfer to intensive care was the main criterion for hematologists, but emotional attachment favored futile obstinacy, doing everything possible to the detriment of the patient’s comfort. It would be useful to make an upstream appraisal of the impact that an early evaluation of the level of care of patients with hematological malignancies could have on reducing deaths in intensive care.
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spelling doaj-art-eba5c351d9c1403ba82e5d2b50d2db542024-12-22T12:55:21ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2024-12-012311610.1186/s12904-024-01624-yResuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative studyViolaine Bordier0Marilène Filbet1Corinne Sissoix2Colombe Tricou3Bruno Pereira4Virginie Guastella5Palliative Care Unit, South Lyon Hospital Center, Civil Hospices of LyonPalliative Care Unit, South Lyon Hospital Center, Civil Hospices of LyonPalliative Care Unit, South Lyon Hospital Center, Civil Hospices of LyonPalliative Care Unit, South Lyon Hospital Center, Civil Hospices of LyonBiostatistics unit, Department of Clinical Research and Innovation (DRCI), Clermont- Ferrand University HospitalPalliative Care Unit, Louise Michel Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand University HospitalAbstract Background Having a hematological malignancy increases the risk of a poor-quality end of life and of dying in intensive care. There is no prognostic score to predict survival on admission to intensive care, but many patients die there. To identify the criteria used in deciding to transfer patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. Methods It is a qualitative study. For each patient with a hematological malignancy who died in intensive care, the resuscitator and hematologist involved in the decision to transfer the patient to intensive care were contacted. The study ran at Lyon Sud Hospital Center, between 1 November 2018 and 30 April 2019. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with data triangulation. Seventeen doctors were contacted, and 17 interviews were conducted. Results When transferring a patient with a hematological malignancy to intensive care, we identified (i) patient-specific decision criteria for the transfer, namely prognosis of the disease and treatments received, and (ii) decision criteria specific to hematologists and resuscitators, namely difficulty confronting management failure, convenience of transfer to the ICU for hematologists, and attachment of hematologists to their patients. Conclusion Organizational convenience of transfer to intensive care was the main criterion for hematologists, but emotional attachment favored futile obstinacy, doing everything possible to the detriment of the patient’s comfort. It would be useful to make an upstream appraisal of the impact that an early evaluation of the level of care of patients with hematological malignancies could have on reducing deaths in intensive care.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01624-yPalliative careCritical careHematological malignancyDecision makingEnd of life
spellingShingle Violaine Bordier
Marilène Filbet
Corinne Sissoix
Colombe Tricou
Bruno Pereira
Virginie Guastella
Resuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative study
BMC Palliative Care
Palliative care
Critical care
Hematological malignancy
Decision making
End of life
title Resuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative study
title_full Resuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative study
title_fullStr Resuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Resuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative study
title_short Resuscitation, yes or no ? the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care. A qualitative study
title_sort resuscitation yes or no the criteria for transferring patients with hematological malignancies to intensive care a qualitative study
topic Palliative care
Critical care
Hematological malignancy
Decision making
End of life
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01624-y
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