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- Engagement and perspectives regarding the family conference process when considering discontinuation of life-sustaining treatments among critical care specialist nurses: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Japan
- Akane Kato, Yuta Tanaka, Yoshiyuki Kizawa, Hiroaki Yamase, Asami Tado, Junko Tatsuno, Mitsunori Miyashita
- Acute Crit Care. 2025;40(2):339-348. Published online May 20, 2025
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.003096
- 3,749 View
- 32 Download
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Abstract
PDF - Background
Recognizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration during treatment family conferences is increasing in critical care settings. We aimed to elucidate how critical care specialist nurses engage in the family conference process in terms of the actual discussions held, the recommended topics, and their perspectives regarding transfer of critical care patients to general wards.
Methods
This self-administered nationwide survey was conducted between October and December 2020, targeting a random sample of 740 critical care specialist nurses. An anonymous questionnaire based on established guidelines and pilot tests was used to assess the level of engagement with the family conference process, content of discussions, considerations regarding withholding or withdrawing treatment, and perspectives concerning patient care location and discontinuation of life-sustaining treatments among the surveyed nurses.
Results
Of the 396 returned questionnaires (response rate, 51.9%), 384 were analyzed. Less than 35% of the nurses consistently participated in family conferences and ensured that decisions regarding withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments were re-evaluated following the conferences. Discussions focused predominantly on the patients’ physical aspects, whereas the nurses believed that patients’ values and preferences should be discussed. More than 70% of the nurses supported transferring patients from critical care settings to general wards for end-of-life scenarios.
Conclusions
Critical care specialist nurses in Japan exhibit limited engagement in family conferences and often fail to address their patients’ values and preferences. Educational programs and enhanced interprofessional collaborations are warranted to improve nurse involvement in family conferences and ensure continuity of care between critical care and general ward settings.
- Nursing
- Differences in the psychological preparedness of emergency nurses for caring for victims of violence against women according to nurse gender: a nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire survey in Japan
- Akane Kato
- Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(4):630-639. Published online October 23, 2024
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2024.00654
- 6,173 View
- 84 Download
- 1 Web of Science
- 1 Crossref
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Abstract
PDF
- Background
With the increasing incidence of violence against women (VAW), emergency department (ED) nurses should be trained to respond appropriately to victims of VAW (VVAW). However, the psychological preparedness of nurses caring for VVAW and its relationship to nurse gender remains unclear in Japan.
Methods
A nationwide self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among 430 randomly selected certified emergency nurses. The questionnaire was a Japanese translation of the evaluation tools from the World Health Organization (WHO) curriculum "Caring for women subjected to violence: a WHO curriculum for training healthcare providers."
Results
The final sample included 104 participants, and the effective response rate was 24.2%. More than 60% of nurses had experience in caring for VVAW; however, only 10% had received training concerning VAW. The mean number of VVAW cared for by these nurses was 6.2 (standard deviation, 6.1) with no significant difference in nurse gender (P=0.52, effect size [ES]=0.09). Male nurses had a higher mean score of psychological preparedness than female nurses (22.6 vs. 20.4; P=0.03, ES=0.22); moreover, female nurses scored lower than male nurses on all items of the psychological preparedness evaluation. Less than half of the participants reported having institutional support systems.
Conclusions
Establishing an education program for all emergency nurses, providing support to ensure the psychological preparedness of female emergency nurses, and ensuring improvement of facilities nationwide are essential for enhancing nursing care for VVAW in Japanese EDs. -
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- Measurement of Dehumanization, Self-Dehumanization, and Empathy as Mediating Factors Among Healthcare Professionals
Aikaterini Roupa, Athina Patelarou, Konstantinos Giakoumidakis, Kyriaki Fousiani, Marianna Miliaraki, Eirini Stratidaki, Evridiki Patelarou
Healthcare.2025; 13(1): 75. CrossRef
- Measurement of Dehumanization, Self-Dehumanization, and Empathy as Mediating Factors Among Healthcare Professionals
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