This prospective study evaluated the predictive accuracy of the Surprise Question (SQ)—“Would I be surprised if this patient died within 3 or 12 months?”—when answered by nurses and physicians in an emergency department (ED) setting. The goal was to see if this question could help predict which patients might die within a year. Over 1,900 patients were included. The results showed that the question was helpful, especially when predicting who might die within 12 months. Doctors were a little better at predicting than nurses, but when both agreed, their guesses were more accurate. The question worked best for older patients and those with medical problems. It didn’t work as well for younger people or patients with injuries. This simple question can help doctors and nurses think about who might need extra care or palliative care to make them more comfortable. It helps the hospital team plan better care for seriously ill patients. Read more…
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