The impact of patient death experiences early in training on resident physicians: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Patient death is an inevitability during medical training, with subsequent psychologic distress, decreased empathy and worse learning outcomes. We aimed to explore resident experiences with patient death early in training, including the immediate and delayed impacts of these experiences, preparedness of trainees for these events and coping strategies used, potentially identifying gaps and opportunities to further support trainees during difficult or traumatic events. METHODS: We performed a qualitative study using phenomenology methodology to understand trainees' personal experiences with patient death. Resident physicians who had completed an internal medicine rotation at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, were invited to participate from December 2020 to April 2021. Semistructured interviews were conducted to understand circumstances, emotional responses, support, coping mechanisms and preparedness regarding the patient death experience. Interviews were transcribed and coded to identify emerging themes with the use of thematic and interpretive analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen participants were interviewed. On average, the interviews were 40 minutes in length. The participants' mean age was 27 years. The majority of trainees (10 [56%]) were in their first year of residency, with 5 (28%) from family medicine and 4 (22%) from internal medicine. Most participants (13 [72%]) had experienced their first patient death during medical school. Three themes were identified: patient death circumstances, immediate and delayed emotional impact, and preparedness and coping mechanisms. Unexpected death, pronouncing death, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and communicating with families were common challenges. Feelings of guilt, helplessness and grief followed the events. Feeling underprepared contributed to emotional consequences, including difficulties sleeping, intrusive thoughts and emotional distancing; however, these experiences were consistently normalized by participants. INTERPRETATION: Patient death during medical training can be traumatic for trainees and may perpetuate loss of empathy, changes to practice and residual emotional effects. Educational initiatives to prepare trainees for patient death and teach adaptive coping strategies may help mitigate psychologic trauma and loss of empathy; further research is required to explore these strategies.

Enhancing end of life care on general internal medical wards: the 3 Wishes Project.

BACKGROUND: Initially developed in the intensive care unit (ICU) at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) the 3 Wishes Project (3WP) provides personalized, compassionate care to dying patients and their families. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate 3WP expansion strategies for patients cared for on General Internal Medicine (GIM) wards in our hospital. METHODS: From January 2020-November 2021, we developed a phased, multicomponent approach for program expansion. We enrolled patients on the GIM wards who had a high probability of dying in hospital, then elicited, implemented, and documented wishes for them or their families. Data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: From March 2020 to November 2020, we implemented staff education and engagement activities, created an Expansion Coordinator position, held strategic consultations, and offered enabling resources. From March 2020 to November 2021, we enrolled 62 patients and elicited 281 wishes (median [1st, 3rd quartiles] 4 [4, 5] wishes/patient). The most common wish categories were personalizing the environment (67 wishes, 24%), rituals and spiritual support (42 wishes, 15%), and facilitating connections (39 wishes, 14%). The median [1st, 3rd] cost/patient was $0 [0, $10.00] (range $0 to $86); 91% of wishes incurred no cost to the program. CONCLUSIONS: The formal expansion of the 3WP on GIM wards has been successful despite COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. While there is still work ahead, these data suggest that implementing the 3WP on the GIM wards is feasible and affordable. Increased engagement of the clinical team during the pandemic suggests that it is positively received.

Use of Video Technology in End-of-Life Care for Hospitalized Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Infection control protocols, including visitor restrictions, implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic threatened the ability to provide compassionate, family-centered care to patients dying in the hospital. In response, clinicians used videoconferencing technology to facilitate conversations between patients and their families. OBJECTIVES: To understand clinicians' perspectives on using videoconferencing technology to adapt to pandemic policies when caring for dying patients. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 45 clinicians who provided end-of-life care to patients in 3 acute care units at an academically affiliated urban hospital in Canada during the first wave of the pandemic (March 2020-July 2020). A 3-step approach to conventional content analysis was used to code interview transcripts and construct overarching themes. RESULTS: Clinicians used videoconferencing technology to try to bridge gaps in end-of-life care by facilitating connections with family. Many benefits ensued, but there were also some drawbacks. Despite the opportunity for connection offered by virtual visits, participants noted concerns about equitable access to videoconferencing technology and authenticity of technology-assisted interactions. Participants also offered recommendations for future use of videoconferencing technology both during and beyond the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Clinician experiences can be used to inform policies and practices for using videoconferencing technology to provide high-quality end-of-life care in the future, including during public health crises.

A Narrative Review and Novel Framework for Application of Team-Based Learning in Graduate Medical Education.

BACKGROUND: Team-based learning (TBL) promotes problem solving and teamwork, and has been applied as an instructional method in undergraduate medical education with purported benefits. Although TBL curricula have been implemented for residents, no published systematic reviews or guidelines exist for the development and use of TBL in graduate medical education (GME). OBJECTIVE: To review TBL curricula in GME, identify gaps in the literature, and synthesize a framework to guide the development of TBL curricula at the GME level. METHODS: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, and ERIC databases from 1990 to 2014 for relevant articles. References were reviewed to identify additional studies. The inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed publications in English that described TBL curriculum implementation in GME. Data were systematically abstracted and reviewed for consensus. Based on included publications, a 4-element framework-system, residents, significance, and scaffolding-was developed to serve as a step-wise guide to planning a TBL curriculum in GME. RESULTS: Nine publications describing 7 unique TBL curricula in residency met inclusion criteria. Outcomes included feasibility, satisfaction, clinical behavior, teamwork, and knowledge application. CONCLUSIONS: TBL appears feasible in the GME environment, with learner reactions ranging from positive to neutral. Gaps in the literature occur within each of the 4 elements of the suggested framework, including: system, faculty preparation time and minimum length of effective TBL sessions; residents, impact of team heterogeneity and inconsistent attendance; significance, comparison to other instructional methods and outcomes measuring knowledge retention, knowledge application, and skill development; and scaffolding, factors that influence the completion of preparatory work.

Video decision aids to assist with advance care planning: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Advance care planning (ACP) can result in end-of-life care that is more congruent with patients' values and preferences. There is increasing interest in video decision aids to assist with ACP. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of video decision aids on patients' preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments (primary outcome). DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, AMED and CENTRAL, between 1980 and February 2014, and correspondence with authors. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Randomised controlled trials of adult patients that compared a video decision aid to a non-video-based intervention to assist with choices about use of life-sustaining treatments and reported at least one ACP-related outcome. DATA EXTRACTION: Reviewers worked independently and in pairs to screen potentially eligible articles, and to extract data regarding risk of bias, population, intervention, comparator and outcomes. Reviewers assessed quality of evidence (confidence in effect estimates) for each outcome using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. RESULTS: 10 trials enrolling 2220 patients were included. Low-quality evidence suggests that patients who use a video decision aid are less likely to indicate a preference for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (pooled risk ratio, 0.50 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.95); I(2)=65%). Moderate-quality evidence suggests that video decision aids result in greater knowledge related to ACP (standardised mean difference, 0.58 (95% CI 0.38 to 0.77); I(2)=0%). No study reported on the congruence of end-of-life treatments with patients' wishes. No study evaluated the effect of video decision aids when integrated into clinical care. CONCLUSIONS: Video decision aids may improve some ACP-related outcomes. Before recommending their use in clinical practice, more evidence is needed to confirm these findings and to evaluate the impact of video decision aids when integrated into patient care.