Circumstances of death | Subjects |
Death following decision to withhold or withdraw treatments | |
No | 91 (19.2) |
Decision to withhold treatment | 152 (32) |
Decision to withdraw treatment | 232 (48.8) |
Decision-making process | |
No decision | 91 (19.2) |
Relatives only informed of the decision | 160/384 (42) |
Relatives involved in the decision making process | 224/384 (58) |
Family agreement with EOL decision | 373 (78.5) |
Disclosure of death | |
Family was present at patient's bedside | 266 (56) |
Family was informed over the phone | 152 (32) |
Family was informed upon arrival to the ICU | 57 (12) |
Death and ventilation | |
Patient died while intubated | 318 (67) |
Patient died after recent extubation | 69 (14.5) |
Patient was never ventilated | 88 (18.5) |
Who was present in patient's room at the time of death?# | |
Relatives | 266 (56) |
Physician at bedside | 165 (34.7) |
Nurse at bedside | 304 (64) |
Compliance with quality indicators for EOL care [47] | |
Family-centred decision-making/involvement | 224 (47.1) |
24-h family presence | 166 (34.7) |
Spiritual support | 62 (13) |
Emotional support available in ICU | 176 (37.1) |
Intervention of external palliative care consultant | 12 (2.5) |
Data are presented as n (%) or n/N (%). EOL: end of life. #: the sum exceeds 475 as more than one person could be present at the time of death for the same patient.