How the bereaved experince withdrawal of LST in Critical Care.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How the bereaved experience withdrawal of life sustaining treatment (LST) in Critical Care
IRAS ID
222594
Contact name
Kathleen Galvin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Brighton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
Since the removal of the Liverpool Care Pathway government has continued to prioritise end of life care and since these guidelines have been removed it is hoped that by interviewing after bereavement new guidelines will be developed ensuring best practice for these individuals will be delivered. 1 in 5 patients will die following admission to Critical Care for what is initially deemed as reversible causes of illness. Relatives and friends of these patients are at high risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following withdrawal of treatment.
This research project will look to explore the lived experience of the bereaved when patients in Critical Care have life sustaining treatment (LST) withdrawn and as a result of this die within the same Critical Care setting.
Recruitment will be on a voluntary basis (but also be purposeful sampling) with information posters being present in the Critical Care relatives rooms and in the Bereavement Office waiting room (see appendix 1). Participant Information sheets (appendix 2) will be sent out to potential participants with condolence cards by Critical Care staff. Information leaflets will give the researchers contact details. All inquiries about participation will be followed up with invitation to interview if inclusion criteria is met.
This study will take place within 2 hospitals in the same Trust in the South East of the UK. Patients must have been over the age of 18 when treatment was withdrawn and not have been transferred to a normal ward within the hospital following withdrawal of treatment. Semi structured interviews will take place in the hospital of the participants choice within the Trust lasting approximately 1 hour. This form of interview will allow participants be describe lived experience and explore what is important to them. It is aimed that the study will comprise of 6-8 participants.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0286
Date of REC Opinion
14 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion