EM Cases · Palliative and end-of-life care in ED
Dying patient with breathlessness — resus station
ACEM Fellowship resus station on the dying patient in ED.
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Study tools
Target exams
ACEMFRCEMABEM
Prompt
A 78-year-old with metastatic prostate cancer, breathlessness and bone pain; family say the hospice doctor said he is in his last days.
Station brief
Format. Clinical-management station, 11 minutes.
Candidate instructions. Manage a 78-year-old dying of prostate cancer with breathlessness and pain. [4]
References4ShowHide
- [1]Lindqvist O, Lundquist G, Dickman A. Four essential drugs needed for quality care of the dying: a Delphi study J Palliat Med, 2013.PMID 23234300
- [2]Chua MT, Sen Kuan W, Zheng CQ, et al. Validation of Care of the Dying Evaluation in Emergency Medicine (CODE-EM) Ann Palliat Med, 2021.PMID 34118856
- [3]Kompanje EJ, van der Hoven B, Bakker J. Anticipation of distress after discontinuation of mechanical ventilation in the ICU at the end of life Intensive Care Med, 2008.PMID 18516588
- [4]Theunissen M, Lardenoye S, et al. The surprise question: predictive accuracy in an unselected emergency department population - a prospective study in nurses and physicians. Ann Med, 2025.PMID 40665801