Table 4 End of life plans, charts, and pathways for hospital deaths in the manual sample (n = 299) and administrative samples (n = 705)

Resuscitation plan completed during the final admission (%)

170 (96)

Days between resuscitation plan and death

Mean (95%CI)

16.7 (0.0, 59.5)

Median (IQR)

6.0 (2.0, 13.0)

Resuscitation plan indicated for rapid responses (%)

28 (16)

Comfort assessment chart commenced (%)

121 (68)

Days between comfort chart commenced and death

Mean (95%CI)

5.2 (0.0, 15.3)

Median (IQR)

3.0 (1.0, 7.0)

End of Life Pathway (EOLP) commenced (%)

106 (60)

Days between EOLP and death

Mean (95%CI)

4.8 (0.0, 22.4)

Median (IQR)

2.0 (1.0, 5.0)

EOLP states non-essential medications ceased (%)

104 (98)

EOLP has a carer recorded (%)

86 (81)

Investigations in final 72 h (blood tests/imaging) (%)

84 (48)

Hospital (n = 346)

Admitted as ‘Acute’ care type (%)

345 (100)

Length of stay

Mean (95%CI)

14.6 (1.0, 58.4)

Median (IQR)

10.0 (5.0, 18.0)

Separation care type (%)

Rehabilitation Care

4 (1)

Acute Care

181 (52)

Maintenance Care

10 (3)

Palliative Care

151 (44)