Spitex Zürich Limmat, Limmat
Switzerland
Dyspnoea management
Background
With the perspective of quality development, the Palliative Care Team (PCT) agreed to focus each year on one «symptom of the year », to discuss literature, questions from daily practice and case studies.
Today every member of the PCT provides dyspnoea management without using standards or assessment tools, other than e.g. in pain management which is much more standardized. All team members pronounced a need to build up a common body of knowledge concerning dyspnoea.
There are many questions: What are the differences in palliative care needs of cancer and non-cancer dyspnoea patients? Relaxation techniques promise relief, but which technique works for which patient in which setting? How should patient education be designed? What kind of physiotherapeutic measures bring relief for patients with advanced dyspnoea? How can we assist palliative dyspnoea patients living at home in improving their quality of life?
Aim
Goal of the project: By June 2021 the entire PCT has increased its knowledge of evidence based dyspnoea management, evidenced by self-report.
In a second step the PCT will develop a document as a basis for standardized nursing interventions and spread this to other palliative care teams. This process will be started during the project, but probably take more time.
Methods / process
Searching for Evidence about dyspnoea management with the focus on nursing interventions (literature research, discussing with experts, observation week).
Develop an education programme for the PCT
Assessing actual state of knowledge about dyspnoea patient care, problems and questions as seen by the palliative care team members (pretest)
Education for the PCT
Case discussions during team meetings
Team decision which instrument(s) will be needed
Assessing actual state of knowledge about dyspnoea patient care, problems and questions as seen by the palliative care team members (post intervention test)
Development of tool(s) or adaptation of existing tool (after the project end)
Intended outputs / impact
In 2021: Common body of knowledge in dyspnoea management.
For the following years: PCT members provide best practice interventions for dyspnoea patients.