Goals of care and treatment in terminal delirium: A qualitative study of the views and experiences of healthcare professionals caring for patients with cancer

Development and validation of the Terminal Delirium-Related Distress Scale - Shortform

BACKGROUND

We previously developed a 24-item Terminal Delirium-Related Distress Scale (TDDS) to evaluate patient and family distress due to terminal delirium. However, a scale with fewer evaluation items was needed to reduce the burden on terminally ill patients and their families. Thus, the TDDS Shortform (TDDS-SF) was developed, and the validity and reliability of the scale were evaluated.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity and reliability of TDDS-SF.

METHODS

Items with insufficient loading (<0.6) based on factor analysis were removed from the TDDS. Palliative care experts reviewed each item and checked the structure of the scale. Based on their feedback, we developed the TDDS-SF, a 15-item questionnaire consisting of 4 subscales, including "Care for the family," "Ability to communicate," "Psychiatric symptoms," and "Adequate information and discussion about treatment for delirium." A cross-sectional, self-completed questionnaire survey of bereaved families of cancer patients who were admitted to a hospice/palliative care unit was conducted in August 2018. The survey included the TDDS-SF, Good Death Inventory (GDI), Care Evaluation Scale (CES), and distress score in the Delirium Experience Questionnaire. The validity, including construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency, and reliability, including the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency, of the TDDS-SF were evaluated.

RESULTS

The study included 366 bereaved family members. Factor analysis revealed good construct validity. Convergent validity was demonstrated based on good correlations with the CES (r = - 0.54, P < 0.001) and the GDI (r = - 0.54, P < 0.001). Discriminant validity was demonstrated by a low correlation (r = 0.23, P < 0.001) with the distress scores of bereaved families. The internal consistency was also good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.70-0.94).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

The TDDS-SF is a valid and feasible tool for assessing irreversible terminal delirium-related distress. A study targeting patients and their families with end-of-life delirium is planned for the near future.

What are the experiences and support needs of district nurses caring for terminally ill people with delirium at home? A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a serious neuropsychiatric syndrome, which is common amongst terminally ill people in the community. District nurses have a key role in supporting terminally ill people to remain at home.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the experience and support needs of district nurses caring for people with delirium in home settings.

METHODS

Semi-structured individual and small group interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams with 12 district nurses in Scotland, UK. Data was analyzed using framework analysis. Data was coded both deductively and inductively.

RESULTS

Overarching themes were (i) challenges of delirium detection in the community, (ii) challenges managing delirium in the community, (iii) family carers as providers and recipients of care and (iv) education, training and support needs. Participants valued clinical judgement alone in detecting delirium, over use of formal assessment tools. Patients were referred to district nursing services at an advanced stage of their illness, with nurses needing to make rapid decisions about their care, sometimes with limited information. Participants were familiar with non-pharmacological strategies and the importance of family carer support, but uncertainty remained regarding pharmacological management of distressing symptoms. The term 'delirium' was rarely used. Challenges accessing timely advice and practical support from other health and social care professionals were reported. Participants identified delirium detection and the pharmacological management of persistent delirium as priorities for training.

CONCLUSION

Caring for terminally ill people with delirium in the community is challenging. Educational interventions may be beneficial in developing district nurses' confidence in supporting terminally ill patients and their families. Responsive advice and support are required from specialist palliative care services.

Navigating limited resources: experiences of caregivers for elderly terminal cancer patients in a region with limited palliative care services

PURPOSE

Family members predominantly serve as the primary caregivers for cancer patients. However, the experiences of caregivers in regions lacking palliative care support have not been thoroughly investigated, particularly when elderly cancer patients enter the terminal phase. This study aims to explore the experiences of caregivers for elderly cancer patients in the terminal stage, focusing on areas with limited palliative care resources. This study aims to identify the suffering and desires of caregivers, providing a foundation for enhancing palliative care services in economically underdeveloped regions.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted from March to October 2023. Face-to-face, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data from 13 Chinese family caregivers of elderly terminal cancer patients. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling. The interview data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. The study's rigor was ensured through the application of Lincoln and Guba's criteria.

RESULTS

The analysis of gathered data reveals a pernicious cycle wherein physical challenges and psychological distress exacerbate one another, further compounded by a dearth of support. This intricate interplay underscores the complex relationship between physical, psychological, and support-related needs.

CONCLUSION

The development and provision of respite services, enhancement of death education, improvement of physicians' communication skills regarding end-of-life information, and establishment of supportive home care plans are deemed necessary. It is recommended that local governments refine the palliative care system, ensuring seamless integration of palliative care from top-tier hospitals to communities and homes. These measures aim to meet caregivers' expectations while assisting them in overcoming their challenges. The findings herein not only contribute to the improvement of local palliative care services but also offer valuable insights for the enhancement of global palliative care provision.

Assessing the relationship between the distress levels in patients with irreversible terminal delirium and the good quality of death from the perspective of bereaved family

BACKGROUND

Research on achieving a good death for terminally delirious patients is scarce, with limited knowledge about the level of good death and influencing factors. This study investigates the level of good death among delirium patients, factors influencing it, and the correlation between distress, end-of-life care needs, and achieving a good death by surveying bereaved family members of deceased patients in Chinese hospitals.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study from January 2022 to January 2024 was conducted among bereaved family members of patients using an online questionnaire. The questionnaires consisted of (1) participants' demographic and disease-related questionnaires; (2) the Good Death Inventory (GDI) China version; (3) Terminal Delirium-Related Distress Scale (TTDS) China version; (4) the Care Evaluation Scale - short form (CES) China version. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the associated factors influencing good death were analyzed by multiple linear regression analyses.

RESULT

A total of 263 subjects were enrolled. More males (63.5%) participated than females (36.5%), the mean age was 75.35 ± 13.90 years. Good quality of death was significantly and negatively related to the distress in patients with irreversible terminal delirium (r = -0.458, P<0.01).The multiple linear regression model indicates that TDDS score, CES score, types of diseases, smoking history, nutritional deficiency are important factor affecting the good quality of death.

CONCLUSIONS

The good quality of death from the perspective of bereaved family, a negative correlation was found between the distress in patients with irreversible terminal delirium and good death. Medical staff should be more aware of good quality of death in patients, future research should expand sample sizes to include more demographic data, and explore the concept of a good death across different cultural contexts.

Pharmacologic Management of End-of-Life Delirium: Translating Evidence into Practice

End-of-life delirium affects a vast majority of patients before death. It is highly distressing and often associated with restlessness or agitation. Unlike delirium in other settings, it is considered irreversible, and non-pharmacologic measures may be less feasible. The objective of this review is to provide an in-depth discussion of the clinical trials on delirium in the palliative care setting, with a particular focus on studies investigating pharmacologic interventions for end-of-life delirium. To date, only six randomized trials have examined pharmacologic options in palliative care populations, and only two have focused on end-of-life delirium. These studies suggest that neuroleptics and benzodiazepines may be beneficial for the control of the terminal restlessness or agitation associated with end-of-life delirium. However, existing studies have significant methodologic limitations. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and examine novel therapeutic options to manage this distressing syndrome.

'It's tough. It is hard': A qualitative interview study of staff and volunteers caring for hospice in-patients with delirium

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a distressing condition often experienced by hospice in-patients. Increased understanding of current multidisciplinary care of delirium is needed to develop interventions in this setting.

AIM(S)

To explore hospice staff and volunteers' practice, its influences and what may need to change to improve hospice delirium care.

DESIGN

Qualitative interview study using behaviour change theory from a critical realist stance.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-seven staff, including different professional groups and roles, and volunteers were purposively sampled from two in-patient hospices.

RESULTS

We found that participants' practice focus was on managing hyperactive symptoms of delirium, through medication use and non-pharmacological strategies. Delirium prevention, early recognition and hypoactive delirium received less attention. Our theoretically-informed analysis identified this focus was influenced by staff and volunteers' emotional responses to the distress associated with hyperactive symptoms of delirium as well as understanding of delirium prevention, recognition and care, which varied between staff groups. Non-pharmacological delirium management was supported by adequate staffing levels, supportive team working and a culture of person-centred and family-centred care, although behaviours that disrupted the calm hospice environment challenged this.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings can inform hospice-tailored behaviour change interventions that develop a shared team understanding and engage staff's emotional responses to improve delirium care. Reflective learning opportunities are needed that increase understanding of the potential to reduce patient distress through prevention and early recognition of delirium, as well as person-centred management. Organisational support for adequate, flexible staffing levels and supportive team working is required to support person-centred delirium care.

Personalized sedation goal for agitated delirium in patients with cancer: Balancing comfort and communication

BACKGROUND

Agitated delirium is common and highly distressing. Medications are often needed to reduce agitation, but it is unclear what the desired level of sedation is. This study assessed personalized sedation goals (PSGs) and their predictors for patients in a delirium clinical trial and in clinical vignettes.

METHODS

This was a preplanned secondary analysis of a double-blind randomized clinical trial examining the sedative effect of chlorpromazine and/or haloperidol in patients with agitated delirium. At the baseline, caregivers and nurses were independently asked to select the PSG for the trial patient from 5 choices corresponding to Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) scores of 0 or higher (no sedation), -1 to -2, -3, -4, and -5 (deep sedation). Respondents also selected a PSG for 6 vignettes that differed by the level of agitation, ability to communicate, and survival.

RESULTS

Forty-two caregivers and 39 nurses answered questions regarding PSGs. For the trial patient, caregivers preferred RASS scores of -1 to -2 most often (36%), whereas nurses preferred an RASS score of -3 most often (51 %). Caregivers were significantly more likely than nurses to choose lighter sedation (odds ratio [OR], 4.8; P = .01) despite reporting greater delirium-related distress (P = .0006). Patients were undersedated 33% to 53% of the time and oversedated 0% to 15% of the time according to the PSG response criteria. In the case vignettes, deeper sedation was preferred by nurses (P < .0001) and for patients who were unable to communicate (OR, 3.1-4.4; P < .0001) and had a shorter life expectancy (OR, 1.7; P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

Caregivers often preferred lighter sedation than nurses. Many patients were undersedated in comparison with caregivers' PSGs, and this highlights room for improvement.

LAY SUMMARY

In the last days of life, many patients with cancer develop delirium and become restless/agitated; this can be highly distressing. Caregivers and physicians alike are often concerned about the use of sedatives for agitated delirium and try to find a balance between maximizing comfort and maintaining communication. This study examined the concept of a personalized sedation goal for setting an individualized target for the level of sedation. Caregivers often preferred lighter sedation than nurses. Many patients were undersedated in comparison with caregivers' stated goals, and this highlights room for improvement.

The experience of delirium in palliative care settings for patients, family, clinicians and volunteers: A qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis

BACKGROUND

Delirium is common in palliative care settings and is distressing for patients, their families and clinicians. To develop effective interventions, we need first to understand current delirium care in this setting.

AIM

To understand patient, family, clinicians' and volunteers' experience of delirium and its care in palliative care contexts.

DESIGN

Qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis (PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018102417).

DATA SOURCES

The following databases were searched: CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO (2000-2020) for qualitative studies exploring experiences of delirium or its care in specialist palliative care services. Study selection and quality appraisal were independently conducted by two reviewers.

RESULTS

A total of 21 papers describing 16 studies were included. In quality appraisal, trustworthiness (rigour of methods used) was assessed as high (n = 5), medium (n = 8) or low (n = 3). Three major themes were identified: interpretations of delirium and their influence on care; clinicians' responses to the suffering of patients with delirium and the roles of the family in delirium care. Nursing staff and other clinicians had limited understanding of delirium as a medical condition with potentially modifiable causes. Practice focused on alleviating patient suffering through person-centred approaches, which could be challenging with delirious patients, and medication use. Treatment decisions were also influenced by the distress of family and clinicians and resource limitations. Family played vital roles in delirium care.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased understanding of non-pharmacological approaches to delirium prevention and management, as well as support for clinicians and families, are important to enable patients' multi-dimensional needs to be met.

Development and validation of the Terminal Delirium-Related Distress Scale to assess irreversible terminal delirium

OBJECTIVE

There is no tool to appropriately assess terminal delirium, including the natural terminal course. The objective of this study was to develop an evaluation scale to assess distress from irreversible terminal delirium and to examine the validity of the scale.

METHOD

Based on previous qualitative analysis and systematic literature searches, we carried out a survey regarding the views of bereaved families and developed a questionnaire. We extracted items that bereaved families regarded as important and constructed an evaluation scale of terminal delirium. Then, we applied the questionnaire in a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of bereaved relatives of cancer patients who were admitted to a hospice or a palliative care unit.

RESULTS

We developed the Terminal Delirium-Related Distress Scale (TDDS), a 24 item questionnaire consisting of five subscales (support for families and respect for a patient, ability to communicate, hallucinations and delusions, adequate information about the treatment of delirium, and agitation and restlessness). Two hundred and eighty-one bereaved relatives participated in the validation phase. The construct validity was shown to be good by repeated factor analysis. Convergent validity, confirmed by the correlation between the TDDS and the Care Evaluation Scale (r = 0.651, P < 0.001), was also good. The TDDS had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all 24 items = 0.84).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

This study showed that the TDDS is a valid and feasible measure of irreversible terminal delirium.

Are common delirium assessment tools appropriate for evaluating delirium at the end of life in cancer patients?

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are to investigate how many advanced cancer patients became unconscious or non-communicative after pharmacological treatment for delirium, and to explore whether existing delirium assessment tools can successfully evaluate its severity at the end of life.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of a registry study that examined the efficacy and safety of antipsychotics for advanced cancer patients with delirium. A total of 818 patients were recruited from 39 specialized palliative care services in Japan. The severity of delirium was measured using the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale-Palliative care version, the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R-98), and the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC) on Day 3. Data from 302 patients with motor anxiety with an Agitation Distress Scale score ≥2 on Day 0 were analyzed for this study. The patients were categorized into four treatment response groups: complete response (CR: no agitation and fully communicative), partial response (PR: no/mild agitation and partially communicative), unconscious/non-communicative (UC), and no change (NC).

RESULTS

On Day 3, 29 (10%; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 7-13) and 2 (1%; 95% CI, 0-2) patients became unconscious and non-communicative, respectively. Forty-four patients were categorized as CR, 97 as PR, 31 as UC, and 96 as NC. The scores of the DRS-R-98 and Nu-DESC in the UC group were rated higher than patients in the NC group were.

CONCLUSIONS

A considerable number of cancer patients with delirium became unconscious or non-communicative. Existing delirium assessment tools may be inappropriate for measuring the severity of delirium in end-of-life.