Jennifer Garside and colleagues describe how the introduction of a package for acutely unwell individuals with poor prognosis has transformed provision and improved the experiences of patients and their families
The authors outline the benefits of participating in the Transforming End of Life Care in Acute Hospitals Programme. The article describes the introduction at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust of the amber care bundle, an approach used in hospitals when clinicians are concerned that patients are acutely unwell and their potential for recovery is uncertain.
The bundle is supported with staff education and carer feedback using the VOICES questionnaire, which carers or relatives fill out post-bereavement. The authors also discuss the potential to measure outcomes to indicate quality, by linking the amber care bundle quality audit and the adapted VOICES questionnaire to demonstrate the impact of the introduction of the amber care bundle.
Nursing Management. 20, 7, 16-22. doi: 10.7748/nm2013.11.20.7.16.e1118
Correspondencejennifer.garside@worcsacute.nhs.uk
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double blind peer review
Conflict of interestNone declared
Received: 04 June 2013
Accepted: 02 September 2013
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