Table 4.
Mean Scores for Attitudes towards Advance Care Planning by Profession (N=169).
| Item | Mean±SD | t | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||||
| Total | Nurse | Doctor | |||
| 1. A patient at the end of life can make a decision and has a right to refuse life-support devices in advance | 3.34±0.47 | 3.38±0.49 | 3.23±0.43 | 2.07 | 0.041 |
| 2. A chronically ill patient can demand a life-support device in advance, even if he/she is not at a stage of terminal care or end of life | 3.34±0.51 | 3.38±0.51 | 3.25±0.52 | 1.58 | 0.115 |
| 3. Chronically ill patients have the right to make a preliminary decision to refuse life-support devices | 3.33±0.56 | 3.38±0.52 | 3.19±0.63 | 2.07 | 0.040 |
| 4. Everyone has a right to make a preliminary decision to refuse life-support devices | 3.31±0.59 | 3.38±0.55 | 3.15±0.64 | 2.38 | 0.018 |
| 5. A healthcare provider should respect the wishes of a patient despite disagreement over end of life care decisions | 3.14±0.68 | 3.24±0.60 | 2.90±0.81 | 3.02 | 0.003 |
| 6. It may be best not to provide all information to the patient | 2.01±1.40 | 2.03±1.40 | 1.97±1.40 | 0.20 | 0.842 |
| 7. If there is a conflict between the patient’s and family’s wishes for end of life care decision, the nurse should follow the patient’s opinion | 2.96±0.64 | 3.05±0.54 | 2.75±0.79 | 2.51 | 0.014 |
| 8. All patients capable of making a decision should prepare advance medical directives, and advance care planning | 3.14±0.55 | 3.16±0.53 | 3.10±0.60 | 0.74 | 0.463 |
| 9. Nurses should actively assist patients in preparing advance medical directives, advance care planning | 3.14±0.61 | 3.11±0.64 | 3.19±0.53 | -0.79 | 0.431 |
| 10. If the primary doctor does not consider the patient’s values regarding ‘death with dignity’ as a treatment option, any other physicians involved in patient care should provide information on life-sustaining treatment | 3.04±0.57 | 3.06±0.59 | 2.98±0.50 | 0.84 | 0.402 |
| 11. If the primary doctor does not consider the patient’s values regarding ‘death with dignity’ as a treatment option, nurses involved patient care should provide information on life-sustaining treatment | 3.03±0.58 | 3.06±0.58 | 2.96±0.59 | 1.01 | 0.312 |
| 12. If the primary doctor does not consider the patient’s values regarding ‘death with dignity’ as a treatment option, any person involved in patient care (ex. social workers) should provide information on life-sustaining treatment | 3.02±0.60 | 3.09±0.56 | 2.87±0.66 | 2.18 | 0.032 |
| 13. Nurses should assist patients in deciding on life-sustaining treatment, and its refusal or suspension should be presented as one of the options for treatments | 3.17±0.43 | 3.20±0.44 | 3.10±0.41 | 1.36 | 0.176 |
| 14. Nurses should have the ability to provide adequate information and counseling to reassure patients and family members regarding life-sustaining treatment | 3.27±0.47 | 3.31±0.48 | 3.18±0.43 | 1.74 | 0.084 |
| Total mean score | 3.12±0.37 | 3.16±0.34 | 3.02±0.40 | 2.43 | 0.016 |