Capacity building in research and end-of-life care for ICU clinicians in Uganda: An innovative 'learning by doing' model.

Summary

Background

In Uganda, there are 14 intensive care units (ICUs) offering around 55 beds. The ratio of ICU beds per million population is lower, and ICU mortality rates are considerable higher than middle or high-income countries. Uganda has implemented strategies to develop and integrate palliative care into the national health system, however the focus has mainly been on cancer patients and hospices, and palliative/end-of-life care in areas such as ICUs has been neglected. Currently, there is no evidence related to end-of-life in Ugandan ICUs and little is known about Ugandan ICU clinicians’ research confidence and preparedness to incorporate palliative care principles for dying patients and their families in ICUs.

Aim/objectives

To build research and knowledge capacity in end-of-life care within the context of Ugandan ICUs, and consequently improve patient and family care. 

Methods

Multi-methods project, including three phases:

Phase 1 - the development and delivery of online research and end-of-life training programme for ICU clinicians in Uganda; 

Phase 2 - the conduct of a research study to evaluate values and experiences with facilitating end-of-life care among ICU clinicians, to capture ICU clinicians’ perceptions of dying ICU patients’ symptoms and main concerns, and explore ICU clinicians’ experiences of providing end-of-life care to ICU patients and their families.

Phase 3 – sharing the experience of collaborative e-learning and mentorship as a strategy for capacity building and dissemination.

Results

Research and end-of-life training was delivered and evaluated well by the ICU clinicians.Further results to be published following completion of Phases 2 and 3.