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- Determinants and outcomes of psychological empowerment in healthcare professionals: How to promote empowermentPublication . Hernández-Marrero, Pablo; Pereira, Sandra Martins; Teixeira, Carla Margarida; Carvalho, Ana Sofia
- Compared to palliative care, working in intensive care more than doubles the chances of burnout: results from a nationwide comparative studyPublication . Pereira, Sandra Martins; Teixeira, Carla Margarida; Carvalho, Ana Sofia; Hernández-Marrero, PabloIntroduction: Professionals working in intensive and palliative care units, hence caring for patients at the end-of-life, are at risk of developing burnout. Workplace conditions are determinant factors to develop this syndrome among professionals providing end-of-life care. Objectives: To identify and compare burnout levels between professionals working in intensive and palliative care units; and to assess which workplace experiences are associated with burnout. Methods: A nationwide, multicentre quantitative comparative survey study was conducted in Portugal using the following instruments: Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey, Questionnaire of workplace experiences and ethical decisions, and Questionnaire of socio-demographic and professional characteristics. A total of 355 professionals from 10 intensive care and 9 palliative care units participated in the survey. A series of univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed; odds ratio sidelong with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results: 27% of the professionals exhibited burnout. This was more frequent in intensive care units (OR = 2.525, 95% CI: 1.025–6.221, p = .006). Univariate regression analyses showed that higher burnout levels were significantly associated with conflicts, decisions to withhold/withdraw treatment, and implementing palliative sedation. When controlling for socio-demographic and educational characteristics, and setting (intensive care units versus palliative care units), higher burnout levels were significantly and positively associated with experiencing conflicts in the workplace. Having post-graduate education in intensive/palliative care was significantly but inversely associated to higher burnout levels. Conclusions: Compared to palliative care, working in intensive care units more than doubled the likelihood of exhibiting burnout. Experiencing conflicts (e.g., with patients and/or families, intra and/or inter-teams) was the most significant determinant of burnout and having post-graduate education in intensive/palliative care protected professionals from developing this syndrome. This highlights the need for promoting empowering workplace conditions, such as team empowerment and conflict management. Moreover, findings suggest the need for implementing quality improvement strategies and organizational redesign strategies aimed at integrating the philosophy, principles and practices of palliative care in intensive care units.
- Portuguese medical students’ perceptions and willingness to perform uuthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: results from a mixed-methods studyPublication . Pereira, Sandra Martins; Hernández-Marrero, Pablo
- Integrating palliative care and Intensive care: a spectrum of ethical issuesPublication . Pereira, Sandra Martins; Teixeira, Carla; Carvalho, Ana Sofia; Hernández-Marrero, PabloBackground: The integration of palliative care (PC) in intensive care (IC) can be framed ethically. By integrating the core principles of PC in IC, the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice are fostered together with the ethical principles of dignity, integrity and vulnerability. Several organizational initiatives have been described worldwide on integration. Little is known on the ethical principles supporting this integration. Aims: To ethically frame and understand healthcare professionals’ perspectives about integrating PC and IC. Methods: A qualitative study, using in-depth interviews to collect data from healthcare professionals working in Portuguese PC and IC units. Data is being analysed using a thematic analysis approach. A snowball sampling procedure is being applied until reaching theoretical saturation. Up-to-date, 22 professionals (8 physicians and 14 nurses) across settings and cities were interviewed. Results: Participants understand the integration of PC in IC as a way of improving end of life care and end of life decision-making processes. In their speech, an early integration of PC is needed, particularly in other settings (e.g., medical and surgical) in order to prevent invasive interventions and admissions in IC units. This is linked to the application of the ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence and justice into practice. Professionals also consider that the integration of PC in IC may foster patient autonomy, by allowing patients to be cared for and die in their place of preference, and integrity, through a holistic approach. Patients in IC are particularly vulnerable; integrating the principles of PC can protect them of any further harm. While professionals working in PC consider that integration should be promoted by implementing a mixed-organizational model, professionals from IC units defend an educational model, which should be promoted during medical specialty training as intensivists, PC being part of this education programme. Conclusions: This is the first study addressing the integration of PC in IC in Portugal, following an ethical frame. Professionals working in PC and IC seem to have different perspectives on how the integration model should be. Findings show the potential for a successful integration; more research is needed to develop an effective, sustainable and ethically sound integration model. Acknowledgments: Fundação Grünenthal and Fundação Merck, Sharp and Dohme.
- Integrating palliative cre in intensive care: a systematic review of outcomesPublication . Niemeyer-Guimarães, Márcio; Pereira, Sandra Martins; Antunes, Bárbara; Hernández-Marrero, Pablo
- Toward a bioethical framework for antibiotic use, antimicrobial resistance and for empirically designing ethically robust strategies to protect human health: a research protocolPublication . Hernández-Marrero, Pablo; Pereira, Sandra Martins; Brandão, Patrícia Joana de Sá; Araújo, Joana; Carvalho, Ana SofiaIntroduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a challenging global and public health issue, raising bioethical challenges, considerations and strategies. Objectives: This research protocol presents a conceptual model leading to formulating an empirically based bioethics framework for antibiotic use, AMR and designing ethically robust strategies to protect human health. Methods: Mixed methods research will be used and operationalized into five substudies. The bioethical framework will encompass and integrate two theoretical models: global bioethics and ethical decision-making. Results: Being a study protocol, this article reports on planned and ongoing research. Conclusions: Based on data collection, future findings and using a comprehensive, integrative, evidence-based approach, a step-by-step bioethical framework will be developed for (i) responsible use of antibiotics in healthcare and (ii) design of strategies to decrease AMR. This will entail the analysis and interpretation of approaches from several bioethical theories, including deontological and consequentialist approaches, and the implications of uncertainty to these approaches.
- Burnout em médicos e enfermeiros: estudo quantitativo e multicêntrico em unidades de cuidados paliativos em PortugalPublication . Pereira, Sandra Martins; Teixeira, Carla Margarida; Ribeiro, Orquídea; Hernández-Marrero, Pablo; Fonseca, António M.; Carvalho, Ana SofiaTheoretical Framework: Systematic contact with death is considered a risk factor for burnout in health, particularly for doctors and nurses who develop their professional activity in palliative care. Objectives: To study the syndrome of burnout in these professionals in Portugal. Methodology: A multicenter quantitative survey study. Results: Out of 142 professionals, 88 returned the completed questionnaire; of these, only 3% were in burnout and 13% at high risk of developing this syndrome. Professing a religion (p=.005) and having post-graduate education/training in palliative care (p=.011) were significantly and inversely associated with burnout. Conflicts with other professionals (p=.012) were significantly associated with developing this syndrome. Conclusion: Although the percentage of professionals with high levels of burnout in palliative care is low, there are risk factors that can be optimized to promote a higher well-being state among professionals.
- Burnout in end-of-life care: Results from a multicenter comparative study between intensive and palliative care unitsPublication . Pereira, Sandra Martins; Teixeira, Carla Margarida; Hernández-Marrero, Pablo; Carvalho, Ana Sofia
- Towards a public health approach for palliative care: an action-research study focused on engaging a local community and educating teenagersPublication . Pereira, Sandra Martins; Araújo, Joana; Hernández-Marrero, PabloBackground: Education sessions about palliative care among teenagers are uncommon in developed countries. However, very little is known either about the impact of this type of intervention or about how this age-group perceives its impact. The purpose of this study was therefore to (i) implement an education program about palliative care among teenagers and (ii) to investigate the impact of the program on the participants. Methods: An action-research study was conducted at a local community parish in Portugal in November 2015. An education programme was purposively built about palliative care, using active educational strategies adapted for teenagers. Quantitative and qualitative techniques and instruments were used for data collection: questionnaire; reflective diaries; interviews and written testimony. The program had three stages: preparation; intervention; and evaluation. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis; quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Results: 69 people (47 teenagers) participated in the education program. Findings show that the education program contributed to creating awareness about palliative care. Both the teenagers and other participants assessed the education program positively. At the end of the program, teenagers had a constructive message about palliative care. Conclusions: The education-intervention contributed to create awareness about palliative care among the participant teenagers, who ended the program with a positive message about palliative care. Based on our findings, the following policy implications can be drawn: (1) Further research is needed to evaluate the effect of education programs about palliative care among younger age groups (teenagers and children), particularly in relation to the changing of attitudes toward palliative care. (2) Education about palliative care should be promoted to local communities, involving all age groups, to foster involvement, participation and empowerment. (3) Compassionate communities should be promoted to enhance the health and wellbeing of all citizens at the end of their life.
- Ethical challenges of outcome measurement in palliative care clinical practice: a systematic review of systematic reviewsPublication . Pereira, Sandra Martins; Hernández-Marrero, PabloSeveral outcome measures have been systematically implemented to be used in palliative care. However, routine use in clinical practice is not without ethical challenges, which are not commonly addressed. The objectives of this study are therefore (I) to identify the ethical challenges/issues of outcome measurement in palliative care and (II) to understand how these ethical challenges/issues are addressed in palliative care clinical practice. The study consisted of a systematic review of systematic reviews, which is a type of review that brings together a summary of reviews in one place. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost searching CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, Nursing & Allied Health Collection: Comprehensive, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, MedicLatina, from inception to January 2018. Out of 159 articles screened, only two [2] articles were included for analysis. The main ethical challenge/issue identified in these two reviews was cognitive impairment, particularly in patients with dementia. This challenge was addressed via proxy (family carers or health professionals) reporting outcome measurement. Ethical challenges/issues are poorly addressed in the existing systematic reviews about outcome measurement in palliative care clinical practice. Only two systematic reviews addressed ethical challenges/issues, namely cognitive impairment, particularly in persons with dementia. Further research is needed on this subject and to foster the use of outcome measurement among this vulnerable group of patients