Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals
Abstract Background This paper joins the debate over changes in the role of health professionals when applying advance directives to manage the decision-making process at the end of life care. Issues in relation to advance directives occur in clinical units in Lithuania; however, it remains one of t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Ethics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12910-017-0197-6 |
| _version_ | 1818528767657639936 |
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| author | Eimantas Peicius Aurelija Blazeviciene Raimondas Kaminskas |
| author_facet | Eimantas Peicius Aurelija Blazeviciene Raimondas Kaminskas |
| author_sort | Eimantas Peicius |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background This paper joins the debate over changes in the role of health professionals when applying advance directives to manage the decision-making process at the end of life care. Issues in relation to advance directives occur in clinical units in Lithuania; however, it remains one of the few countries in the European Union (EU) where the discussion on advance directives is not included in the health-care policy-making agenda. To encourage the discussion of advance directives, a study was designed to examine health professionals’ understanding and preferences related to advance directives. In addition, the study sought to explore the views of health care professionals of the application of Advance Directives (AD) in clinical practice in Lithuania. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted by interviewing 478 health professionals based at major health care centers in Kaunas district, Lithuania. The design of the study included the use of a questionnaire developed for this study and validated by a pilot study. The collected data were analyzed using standard descriptive statistical methods. Results The analysis of knowledge about AD revealed some statistically significant differences when comparing the respondents’ profession and gender. The analysis also indicated key emerging themes among respondents including tranquility of mind, the longest possible life expectancy and freedom of choice. Further, the study findings revealed that more than half of the study participants preferred to express their will while alive by using advance directives. Conclusions The study findings revealed a low level of knowledge on advance directives among health professionals. Most health professionals agreed that AD’s improved end-of-life decision making while the majority of physicians appreciated AD as the best tool for sharing responsibilities in clinical practice in Lithuania. More physicians than nurses preferred the presence of advance directives to support their decision making in end-of-life situations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:54:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-47f5f6f28103436bb1b97c185b1f3b77 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:54:18Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Ethics |
| spelling | doaj.art-47f5f6f28103436bb1b97c185b1f3b772022-12-22T01:16:48ZengBMCBMC Medical Ethics1472-69392017-06-011811710.1186/s12910-017-0197-6Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionalsEimantas Peicius0Aurelija Blazeviciene1Raimondas Kaminskas2Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Medical Academy Lithuanian University of Health SciencesDepartment of Nursing and Care, Medical Academy Lithuanian University of Health SciencesDepartment of Social Sciences and Humanities, Medical Academy Lithuanian University of Health SciencesAbstract Background This paper joins the debate over changes in the role of health professionals when applying advance directives to manage the decision-making process at the end of life care. Issues in relation to advance directives occur in clinical units in Lithuania; however, it remains one of the few countries in the European Union (EU) where the discussion on advance directives is not included in the health-care policy-making agenda. To encourage the discussion of advance directives, a study was designed to examine health professionals’ understanding and preferences related to advance directives. In addition, the study sought to explore the views of health care professionals of the application of Advance Directives (AD) in clinical practice in Lithuania. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted by interviewing 478 health professionals based at major health care centers in Kaunas district, Lithuania. The design of the study included the use of a questionnaire developed for this study and validated by a pilot study. The collected data were analyzed using standard descriptive statistical methods. Results The analysis of knowledge about AD revealed some statistically significant differences when comparing the respondents’ profession and gender. The analysis also indicated key emerging themes among respondents including tranquility of mind, the longest possible life expectancy and freedom of choice. Further, the study findings revealed that more than half of the study participants preferred to express their will while alive by using advance directives. Conclusions The study findings revealed a low level of knowledge on advance directives among health professionals. Most health professionals agreed that AD’s improved end-of-life decision making while the majority of physicians appreciated AD as the best tool for sharing responsibilities in clinical practice in Lithuania. More physicians than nurses preferred the presence of advance directives to support their decision making in end-of-life situations.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12910-017-0197-6Advance directivesEnd of lifeMedical decision makingMedical ethicsNursesPhysicians |
| spellingShingle | Eimantas Peicius Aurelija Blazeviciene Raimondas Kaminskas Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals BMC Medical Ethics Advance directives End of life Medical decision making Medical ethics Nurses Physicians |
| title | Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals |
| title_full | Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals |
| title_fullStr | Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals |
| title_short | Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals |
| title_sort | are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making a cross sectional survey of health professionals |
| topic | Advance directives End of life Medical decision making Medical ethics Nurses Physicians |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12910-017-0197-6 |
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