523 - COVID-19 Preparedness in Hospice and Palliative Care

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Presenting Author(s)

Monika Pogorzelska-Maziarz

Associate Professor
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Co-Author(s)

JK

Jeannette Kates

Associate Professor and Director, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Jingjing Shang

Professor
Columbia University School of Nursing
New York, NY
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
AG

Angela M. Gerolamo

Dr. Angela M. Gerolamo
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Background: Due to the emergence of COVID-19 and resulting pandemic, there is an increased demand for palliative care and hospice care services. However, the impact of COVID-19 on the hospice and palliative agencies is unknown.

Methods: An electronic survey was disseminated via the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association newsletter, posted to the Sigma Theta Tau Hospice and Palliative Care Community Group discussion board and advertised through social media from May 7-28, 2020. Summary statistics were computed.

Results: We collected 36 surveys representing all U.S. regions. Most respondents (78%) reported that their agency has cared for confirmed COVID-19 patients. Only half of agencies had access to laboratory facilities for surveillance and detection of the presence of outbreaks in both patients and staff (58%) and the ability to test patients and providers for COVID-19 (55%). Due to COVID-19, participants stated that the agency added new protocols regarding aerosol-generating procedures policies (58%), use of surface barriers (61%) and PPE usage (e.g. donning and doffing) in patient homes (56%). The majority (76%) reported that their agency required field clinicians to call ahead to ascertain COVID-19 exposure/symptoms before a home visit.

More than half (58%) reported that their agency lacked supplies, including N95 respirators (45%), cleaning/disinfectant product (23%), alcohol based sanitizer (18%), eye protection (18%), gowns (18%), and surgical masks (14%). Overall, participants shared that field clinicians had to reuse (76%), extend (73%) or ration (30%) PPE supplies. Respondents reported that their agency accessed supplemental PPE through state/local resources (67%), private/community donations (67%), and do-it-yourself efforts (55%). One third (31%) reported that their agency was experiencing staffing shortages due to COVID-19; of these, 60% reported that shortages were due to staff infected with/quarantined due to COVID-19.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that COVID-19 has presented significant challenges for palliative care and hospice agencies as they provide care to patients and families at an unprecedented rate.