2Ankara Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Clinic, ANKARA
3Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Clinic, ANKARA
4Kırıkkale Yüksek İhtisas Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Clinic, KIRIKKALE Introduction: The factors that have an impact on the stay and discharge of geriatric patients who were admitted to palliative care center (PCC) were investigated.
Materials and Method: 111 were included in the study. Age, gender, marital status, primary diagnoses, nutritional status, decubitus ulcer, pain issues, palliative performance scale (PPS) scores, duration of PCC and “wanting to be discharged” status of patients were recorded.
Results: Distribution of patients were as follows: neurological disease 47 (42.3%), cancer 26 (23.4%), chronic systemic conditions 46 (41.4%), infections 12 (10.8%), nutritional problems 58 (52.2%), decubitus ulcers 45 (40.5%) and pain 14 (12.6%). The median duration of PC was 24 days. Duration of hospitalization in patients with nutrition and decubitus ulcers were detected longer (p<0.05). “Wanting to be discharged” rate was lower in patients with neurological disease, poor PPS scores, decubitus ulcer and nutritional problems whereas higher in patients with cancer. According to the binary logit model, a diagnosis of cancer and PPS score were increased whereas nutritional problems and decubitus ulcers were decreased the probability of wanting to be discharged.
Conclusions: A coordinated effort between palliative care and home health care may shorten the duration of in-patient palliative care and hasten the process of discharge.
Keywords : Geriatrics; Palliative Care; Home Health Nursing; Patient Discharge