Table 3.
Attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding LST limitation at designated ICUs: description and analysis according to vocation (nurses/physicians).
| Question | Answer | All, N (%) | Physician, N (%) | Nurse, N (%) | Mann–Whitney | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U | p | |||||
| III.4. Ethical acceptability of LST limitation | Undecided | 7 (6.2%) | 1 (3.2%) | 6 (7.3%) | 1,113.000 | 0.255 |
| No | 53 (46.9%) | 13 (41.9%) | 40 (48.8%) | |||
| Yes | 53 (46.9%) | 17 (54.8%) | 36 (43.9%) | |||
| III.5. Ethical difference between withholding and withdrawing | Undecided | 32 (28.3%) | 12 (38.7%) | 20 (24.4%) | 1,285.000 | 0.926 |
| No | 39 (34.5%) | 5 (16.1%) | 34 (41.5%) | |||
| Yes | 42 (37.2%) | 14 (45.2%) | 28 (34.1%) | |||
| III.6. Ethical acceptability of DNACPR | Undecided | 11 (9.7%) | 4 (12.9%) | 7 (8.5%) | 1,211.000 | 0.661 |
| No | 35 (31.0%) | 7 (22.6%) | 28 (34.1%) | |||
| Yes | 67 (59.3%) | 20 (64.5%) | 47 (57.3%) | |||
| III.7. Ethical acceptability of limitation of hydration alongside limitation of LST | Undecided | 94 (83.2%) | 23 (74.2%) | 71 (86.6%) | 1,114.500 | 0.122 |
| No | 14 (12.4%) | 6 (19.4%) | 8 (9.8%) | |||
| Yes | 5 (4.4%) | 2 (6.5%) | 3 (3.7%) | |||
| III.8. Ethical equality of different end-of-life cases [brain dead, terminal, and patients in (irreversible) vegetative state] | Undecided | 26 (23.0%) | 11 (35.5%) | 15 (18.3%) | 1,417.500 | 0.315 |
| No | 42 (37.2%) | 8 (25.8%) | 34 (41.5%) | |||
| Yes | 45 (39.8%) | 12 (38.7%) | 33 (40.2%) | |||
| III.10. Ethical equality of LST limitation decision-making involving adult and pediatric patients | Undecided | 11 (9.7%) | 3 (9.7%) | 8 (9.8%) | 1,119.000 | 0.248 |
| No | 29 (25.7%) | 5 (16.1%) | 24 (29.3%) | |||
| Yes | 73 (64.6%) | 23 (74.2%) | 50 (61.0%) | |||
| III.13. Competent patient's expressed (verbally or written) decisions should be respected | Don't know | 20 (17.7%) | 7 (22.6%) | 13 (15.9%) | 1,451.500 | 0.092 |
| No | 2 (1.8%) | 2 (6.5%) | 0 (0.0%) | |||
| Yes | 91 (80.5%) | 22 (71.0%) | 69 (84.1%) | |||
| III.16. Frequency of being informed about patient or family wishes regarding LST limitation | 0a | 2 (1.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (2.4%) | 1,280.000 | 0.784 |
| Undecided | 10 (8.8%) | 2 (6.5%) | 8 (9.8%) | |||
| Very rarely | 7 (6.2%) | 2 (6.5%) | 5 (6.1%) | |||
| Rarely | 42 (37.2%) | 12 (38.7%) | 30 (36.6%) | |||
| Often | 39 (34.5%) | 13 (41.9%) | 26 (31.7%) | |||
| Very often | 13 (11.5%) | 2 (6.5%) | 11 (13.4%) | |||
| III.17. Usefulness of ACD in LST limitation decision-making | 0a | 3 (2.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (3.7%) | 1,199.000 | 0.853 |
| Undecided | 21 (18.6%) | 2 (6.5%) | 19 (23.2%) | |||
| Not useful at all | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | |||
| Not useful | 5 (4.4%) | 3 (9.7%) | 2 (2.4%) | |||
| Useful | 63 (55.8%) | 22 (71.0%) | 41 (50.0%) | |||
| Very useful | 20 (17.7%) | 4 (12.9%) | 16 (19.5%) | |||
| III.18. Frequency of encountering ACD | 0a | 2 (1.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (2.4%) | 1.787 | 0.077 |
| Never | 84 (74.3%) | 27 (87.1%) | 57 (69.5%) | |||
| Rarely | 26 (23.0%) | 4 (12.9%) | 22 (26.8%) | |||
| Often | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | |||
| III.19. Existence of (your) individual legal responsibility regarding LST limitation decisions and their implementation | 0a | 3 (2.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (3.7%) | 996.500 | 0.107 |
| Don't know | 34 (30.1%) | 13 (41.9%) | 21 (25.6%) | |||
| No | 32 (28.3%) | 4 (12.9%) | 28 (34.1%) | |||
| Yes | 44 (38.9%) | 14 (45.2%) | 30 (36.6%) | |||
a
0 = Non-response to a given questionnaire item.