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Table 4 Structural indicators in nursing homes in six European countries (N = 305)

From: Large differences in the organization of palliative care in nursing homes in six European countries: findings from the PACE cross-sectional study

 

BE N = 43

NL N = 44

EN N = 48

FI N = 88

IT N = 33

PL N = 49

P-value*

N(%)

N(%)

N(%)

N(%)

N(%)

N(%)

Availability of specialist palliative care

Specialist PC team present in the facility (employed by facility)?

  Yes

19 (48.7)

13 (29.5)

3 (6.5)

8 (9.5)

4 (12.1)

3 (6.1)

 < 0.001

  If present, use specialist PC team?

   Yes, for all residents in need of SPC

11 (61.1)

1 (7.7)

2 (66.7)

4 (50.0)

2 (66.7)

2 (66.7)

 < 0.05

   Yes, for most residents in need of SPC

3 (16.7)

1 (7.7)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (33.3)

0 (0.0)

 

   Yes, for some residents in need of SPC

4 (22.2)

7 (53.8)

1 (33.3)

4 (50.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (33.3)

 

   No, never

0 (0.0)

4 (30.8)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

 

Specialist PC advice available to professionals delivering PC in your facility?

  Yes

38 (92.7)

28 (65.1)

41 (87.2)

31 (35.6)

15 (46.9)

21 (45.7)

 < 0.001

  If available, use specialist PC advice?

   Yes, for all residents in need of SPC

14 (38.9)

5 (19.2)

30 (81.1)

11 (40.7)

8 (57.1)

11 (57.9)

 < 0.001

   Yes, for most residents in need of SPC

6 (16.7)

2 (7.7)

2 (5.4)

3 (11.1)

1 (7.1)

0 (0.0)

 

   Yes, for some residents in need of SPC

16 (44.4)

15 (57.7)

5 (13.5)

10(37.0)

4 (28.6)

5 (26.3)

 

   No, never

0 (0.0)

4 (15.4)

0 (0.0)

3 (11.1)

1 (7.1)

3 (15.8)

 

Procedure bereavement support relatives?

  Yes

11 (26.2)

9 (22.0)

30 (68.2)

52 (59.8)

19 (59.4)

10 (20.4)

 < 0.001

Opioids available 24/7 for residents with PC?

  Yes, for all residents

33 (78.6)

32 (72.7)

35 (83.3)

70 (80.5)

23 (69.7)

18 (37.5)

 < 0.001

  Yes, for most residents

1 (2.4)

4 (9.1)

4 (9.5)

6 (6.9)

3 (9.1)

1 (2.1)

 

  Yes, for some residents

7 (16.7)

4 (9.1)

2 (4.8)

7 (8.0)

4 (12.1)

16 (33.3)

 

  No, never

1 (2.4)

4 (9.1)

1 (2.4)

4 (4.6)

3 (9.1)

13 (27.1)

 

Contact person for residents/relatives to ensure coordinated health and social care?

  Yes, for all residents

21 (51.2)

32 (72.7)

38 (82.6)

63 (71.6)

15 (45.5)

19 (38.8)

 < 0.001

  Yes, for most residents

5 (12.2)

1 (2.3)

2 (4.3)

5 (5.7)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

 

  Yes, for some residents

4 (9.8)

0 (0.0)

4 (8.7)

3 (3.4)

2 (6.1)

2 (4.1)

 

  No, never

11 (26.8)

11 (25.0)

2 (4.3)

17 (19.3)

16 (48.5)

28 (57.1)

 

Facilities for residents and families

Specialized equipment availablea

  Pressure relieving mattresses

42 (97.7)

43 (97.7)

46 (95.8)

80 (90.9)

33 (100.0)

47 (95.9)

0.377

  Suction equipment

34 (79.1)

34 (77.3)

19 (39.6)

70 (79.5)

33 (100.0)

45 (91.8)

 < 0.001

  Stoma care supplies

29 (67.4)

38 (86.4)

24 (50.0)

67 (76.1)

25 (75.8)

35 (71.4)

 < 0.01

  Oxygen delivery

42 (97.7)

43 (97.7)

32 (66.7)

61 (69.3)

30 (90.9)

34 (69.4)

 < 0.001

  Syringe driver

28 (65.1)

32 (72.7)

40 (83.8)

34 (38.6)

12 (36.4)

21 (42.9)

 < 0.001

  Hospital beds

37 (86.0)

40 (90.9)

43 (89.6)

87 (98.9)

26 (78.8)

47 (95.9)

 < 0.01

Single bedrooms in facility for ALL dying residents who wish to have one?

  Yes

34 (79.1)

40 (93.0)

43 (93.5)

69 (78.4)

16 (50.0)

13 (27.1)

 < 0.001

Unrestricted visiting hours for relatives of dying residents if they wish?

  Yes

43 (100.0)

40 (93.0)

40 (87.0)

88 (100.0)

31 (96.9)

47 (95.9)

 < 0.01

Relatives can stay overnight with dying relative

  Yes

36 (87.8)

38 (88.4)

36 (90.0)

72 (81.8)

30 (90.9)

29 (59.2)

0.001

Multidisciplinary approaches

Regular multidisciplinary meeting (with at least a physician and a nurse) to review treatment and care plans organized in your facility?

  Yes

37 (88.1)

43 (97.7)

29 (64.4)

44 (50.6)

26 (78.8)

35 (72.9)

 < 0.001

  If yes, how frequently is this meeting organized?

   Weekly

8 (21.6)

12 (27.9)

11 (37.9)

8 (18.2)

13 (50)

12 (34.3)

 < 0.01

Quality improvement initiatives

Systematic assessment of relatives’ experiences regarding provided care?

  Yes, for all residents

18 (45.0)

18 (40.9)

29 (64.4)

29 (33.7)

20 (62.5)

5 (10.2)

 < 0.001

  Yes, for most residents

7 (17.5)

4 (9.1)

5 (11.1)

21 (24.4)

1 (3.1)

7 (14.3)

 

  Yes, for some residents

6 (15.0)

6 (13.6)

2 (4.4)

25 (29.1)

4 (12.5)

5 (10.2)

 

  No, never

9 (22.5)

16 (36.4)

9 (20.0)

11 (12.8)

7 (21.9)

32 (65.3)

 

Specific guidelines used for the last 3 days of life of a resident in need of palliative care in your facility?

  Yes

15 (36.6)

18 (40.9)

21 (51.2)

36 (40.9)

3 (9.7)

7 (14.9)

 < 0.001

  1. Missing values: Specialist PC team = 10, use specialist PC team = 2 (255 not applicable because no specialist PC team present), specialist PC advice = 9, use specialist PC advice = 24 (122 not applicable because no specialist PC advice available), procedure bereavement = 10, opioids = 9, contact person = 4, specialized equipment = 0, single bedrooms = 5, unrestricted visiting hours = 4, relatives overnight = 11, multidisciplinary meeting = 6, weekly multidisciplinary meeting = 15, systematic assessment relatives = 9, guidelines = 13
  2. Abbreviations: PC Palliative Care, SPC Specialist Palliative Care
  3. *χ2 test for differences between countries or Fisher’s exact test in case cells with frequency below 5, α = 0.05
  4. aMultiple answers possible