The following is a summary of “Emergency clinician perceptions of end-of-life care in Irish emergency departments: a cross-sectional survey,” published in the December 2024 issue of Emergency Medicine by Foley et al. 

Individuals with end-of-life care (EoLC) needs frequently presented to the emergency departments (ED), and at times, it had been challenging to provide a high standard of care.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to explore emergency medicine (EM) clinicians’ perspectives on the provision of end-of-life care in Irish emergency departments.  

They carried out the EoLC in ED as an electronic survey involving EM doctors from 23 of 29 EDs in Ireland. The study, run via the Irish Trainee Emergency Research Network, took place over 6 weeks (27 September–8 November 2021). Prior analysis focused on knowledge and attitudes, while this analysis examined communication, education, and resources for EoLC in EDs. Descriptive outcomes were reported, with subgroup analysis based on EM experience.  

The results showed 311 of 694 potential respondents (44.8%) completed the survey. Most participants (62%, n=193) were aged 25–35 years, with 60% (n=186) having less than 5 years of EM experience, and 58% (n=180) were men. Respondents with over 10 years of experience were more likely to feel comfortable discussing EoLC with individuals and families compared to those with less than 5 years of experience (80% vs 32%) (P <0.001). Regarding ED infrastructure, only 23.5% agreed that suitable rooms were allocated for EoLC, and 11.6% agreed that the physical environment supported its provision.  

Investigators concluded the EM clinicians felt relaxed discussing EoLC but identified gaps in resources, infrastructure, and training, highlighting areas for improvement in Irish EDs. 

Source: emj.bmj.com/content/early/2024/12/12/emermed-2023-213534