Table 1 Physician and nurse CAESAR scores
Items for physicians and nurses | Physician, median score (IQR) | Nurse, median score (IQR) |
1. Was an EOL palliative care approach clearly decided for the patient? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | 4 (4–5) |
2. Was the decision to withhold or withdraw treatment clearly documented in the medical report? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | 4 (4–5) |
3. Do you think the patient received excessive or futile care? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 5 (4–5) | 4 (4–5) |
4. Was the patient able to communicate with you during his/her ICU stay? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–4) | 4 (4–4) |
5. Was the patient’s pain under control? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | 5 (4–5) |
6. Was the patient able to breathe comfortably? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–4) | 4 (3–4) |
7. In your opinion, was the patient’s dignity respected? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 5 (4–5) | 5 (4–5) |
8. Did the relatives pay regular visits to the patient? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 5 (4–5) | 5 (4–5) |
9. Did the ICU team discuss the patient’s EOL wishes with the patient him/herself or with the relatives? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | 4 (3–5) |
10. Were the relatives at the patient’s bedside at the time of death? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | 4 (3–4) |
11. During the patient’s ICU stay, did the relatives receive support from a psychologist? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable, 5, comforting | 4 (4–4) | 4 (4–5) |
12. Are you satisfied with the patient’s overall quality of dying and death? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | 4 (4–5) |
13. If the patient had been your relative, would you have been satisfied with his/her EOL? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | 4 (3–5) |
Specific physician items | ||
14. Were the relatives able to say goodbye to the patient? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 5 (4–5) | |
15. Did you experience conflict with the patient and/or the relatives? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable; 5, comforting | 5 (4–5) | |
Specific nurse items | ||
14. Were the relatives able to have physical contact (touch, hug) with the patient? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable, 5, comforting | 4 (4–5) | |
15. Were you present at the patient’s bedside at the time of death? Please rate this experience: 1, traumatic; 2, painful; 3, difficult; 4, acceptable, 5, comforting | 4 (3–4) | |