March Webinar: Nurse to Nurse Palliative Care Consultations

Nurse-to-Nurse Palliative Care Consultations: A Pilot Project

Background: Palliative care is an approach aimed at improving the quality of life and addressing the concerns of patients with a life-threatening illness and their families (1). Palliative care provision for people with end-stage heart disease has been shown to reduce the length of hospital stay, readmissions and cost of care (2-5). Unfortunately, given the unpredictable trajectory of those with end-stage heart disease, the lack of clear referral triggers, and overall discomfort with palliative care, the provision of palliative care for those with end-stage heart disease remains low (6). The aim of this pilot project was to improve the comfort of inpatient nursing staff with the provision of palliative care for those with end-stage heart disease through a mentorship program via a nurse-to-nurse palliative care consultation.

Methods/Results: This pilot project followed the Knowledge-to-Action framework (7), knowledge application. The problem was identified, and knowledge was adapted to the local context through a hospital-wide survey. Barriers and facilitators of knowledge use were assessed and identified through informal interviews with key stakeholders.

To evaluate the outcomes of this pilot project, an audit tool was created. Monitoring and sustaining knowledge is ongoing through informal interviews.

Conclusion: This pilot project reveals that a nurse-to-nurse palliative care consultation is a sustainable and appropriate form of mentoring nurses who care for patients with end-stage cardiac disease on the provision of palliative care. Next steps will include a post-intervention survey one year following the implementation of the pilot project to evaluate inpatient nurses’ comfort and knowledge.

About Freya: 

Freya Kelly is the advanced practice nurse for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Cardiac Supportive and Palliative Care Program and the Cardiac Amyloidosis Clinic.

Freya received her Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences in 2013, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015, and subsequently her Master’s of Science in Nursing in 2017, all at the University of Ottawa. She joined the Heart Institute in 2017 as a nurse educator in the Prevention and Wellness Program. She has since played an integral part in the development of the Cardiac Supportive and Palliative Care Program as well as the Cardiac Amyloidosis Clinic.

Freya has developed a passion for project management and continues to find new ways to bring evidence-based best practice guidelines and interventions to the bedside to help improve her patients’ care. Freya’s research interests include cardiovascular nursing research, research on cardio-oncology, women’s heart health, patient self-management tools and resources, and evidence-based practice implementation.