Perception of palliative medicine by health care professionals at a teaching community hospital: what is the key to a “palliative attitude”?

Figures & data

Table 1 Perception of palliative medicine by health care professionals: results of the two studies

Area	First study	Second study
Number of participants  Physicians  Nurses  Social workers/case managers	184 100 84	246 158 74 14
Answers to key questions	Yes (%)	Yes (%)
1. Participation in educational activities*	14	46
2. Advance directives in outpatient setting	38	35
5. Comfortable to discuss EOL care	80	76
6. Confidence in palliation at the EOL*	86	97
7. Correct interpretation of a DNR consent	82	81
8. Opioids do not hasten death	87	78
9. Withdrawal of active treatment at the EOL is not euthanasia	80	87
12. Evaluation of frequently admitted patients by palliative care teams		50
15–16. Enrollment in hospice imporves patient care		76–80
19. Discussion of medical futility with teminally ill patients		91

Note: *p<0.05.

Abbreviations: DNR, Do Not Resuscitate; EOL, end-of-life.