Abstract
This discussion has been intended to complement the more specific discussions in the conference of discrete areas for improving the care provided to dying patients by respiratory professionals, such as pain management, communication techniques, and treatment withdrawal methods. I have argued that in order to facilitate changes in one area and incorporate these changes into stable components, attention must be paid to the overall environment in which care takes place. Features of the organizational environment that are most readily addressed are the physical location and the knowledge and skills of personnel. These are always appropriate to target for improvement. However, a comprehensive understanding of the environment as a system of both interacting structures and processes is required if we are to design and redesign facilities that encourage us to collaborate and continuously improve the care we provide, rather than facilities that are overwhelmingly characterized by the rule of rescue.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1501-1512 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Respiratory Care |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 12 |
State | Published - Dec 1 2000 |
Keywords
- Administration of intensive care unit
- Management of palliative care
- Organizational change
- Palliative care consultation team
- Palliative care unit
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine