Table 4.
Major considerations 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.9.1. Good medical practice | 0a | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | 1,153.000 | 0.447 |
| Strongly disagree | 2 (1.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (2.4%) | |||
| Disagree | 3 (2.7%) | 1 (3.2%) | 2 (2.4%) | |||
| Undecided | 7 (6.2%) | 1 (3.2%) | 6 (7.3%) | |||
| Agree | 33 (29.2%) | 9 (29.0%) | 24 (29.3%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 67 (59.3%) | 20 (64.5%) | 47 (57.3%) | |||
| III.9.2. Patient's interest | 0a | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | 1,004.000 | 0.054 |
| Disagree | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | |||
| Undecided | 7 (6.2%) | 1 (3.2%) | 6 (7.3%) | |||
| Agree | 33 (29.2%) | 6 (19.4%) | 27 (32.9%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 71 (62.8%) | 24 (77.4%) | 47 (57.3%) | |||
| III.9.3. Patient's autonomy | 0a | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | 1,121.000 | 0.348 |
| Strongly disagree | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | |||
| Disagree | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | |||
| Undecided | 20 (17.7%) | 4 (12.9%) | 16 (19.5%) | |||
| Agree | 41 (36.3%) | 12 (38.7%) | 29 (35.4%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 49 (43.4%) | 15 (48.4%) | 34 (41.5%) | |||
| III.9.4. Treatment costs | 0a | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | 1,508.500 | 0.092 |
| Strongly disagree | 25 (22.1%) | 8 (25.8%) | 17 (20.7%) | |||
| Disagree | 28 (24.8%) | 11 (35.5%) | 17 (20.7%) | |||
| Undecided | 23 (20.4%) | 6 (19.4%) | 17 (20.7%) | |||
| Agree | 25 (22.1%) | 4 (12.9%) | 21 (25.6%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 11 (9.7%) | 2 (6.5%) | 9 (11.0%) | |||
| III.9.5. ACDs | 0a | 3 (2.7%) | 1 (3.2%) | 2 (2.4%) | 1,232.000 | 0.817 |
| Strongly disagree | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | |||
| Disagree | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | |||
| Undecided | 13 (11.5%) | 4 (12.9%) | 9 (11.0%) | |||
| Agree | 48 (42.5%) | 14 (45.2%) | 34 (41.5%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 47 (41.6%) | 12 (38.7%) | 35 (42.7%) | |||
| III.9.6. Wishes of family/legal representatives | Disagree | 10 (8.8%) | 4 (12.9%) | 6 (7.3%) | 1,310.000 | 0.789 |
| Undecided | 31 (27.4%) | 7 (22.6%) | 24 (29.3%) | |||
| Agree | 55 (48.7%) | 16 (51.6%) | 39 (47.6%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 17 (15.0%) | 4 (12.9%) | 13 (15.9%) | |||
| III.9.7. Legal regulations | 0a | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | 988.500 | 0.066 |
| Strongly disagree | 3 (2.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (3.7%) | |||
| Disagree | 5 (4.4%) | 2 (6.5%) | 3 (3.7%) | |||
| Undecided | 24 (21.2%) | 2 (6.5%) | 22 (26.8%) | |||
| Agree | 48 (42.5%) | 16 (51.6%) | 32 (39.0%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 32 (28.3%) | 11 (35.5%) | 21 (25.6%) | |||
| III.9.8. Religious principles | 0a | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | 1,162.500 | 0.533 |
| Strongly disagree | 8 (7.1%) | 0 (0.0%) | 8 (9.8%) | |||
| Disagree | 20 (17.7%) | 7 (22.6%) | 13 (15.9%) | |||
| Undecided | 38 (33.6%) | 10 (32.3%) | 28 (34.1%) | |||
| Agree | 31 (27.4%) | 10 (32.3%) | 21 (25.6%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 15 (13.3%) | 4 (12.9%) | 11 (13.4%) | |||
| III.9.9. Need for vacant ICU beds | 0a | 2 (1.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (2.4%) | 1,623.000 | 0.004 |
| Strongly disagree | 66 (58.4%) | 25 (80.6%) | 41 (50.0%) | |||
| Disagree | 25 (22.1%) | 4 (12.9%) | 21 (25.6%) | |||
| Undecided | 9 (8.0%) | 1 (3.2%) | 8 (9.8%) | |||
| Agree | 6 (5.3%) | 1 (3.2%) | 5 (6.1%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 5 (4.4%) | 0 (0.0%) | 5 (6.1%) | |||
| III.11. Resource allocation considerations | 0a | 4 (3.5%) | 1 (3.2%) | 3 (3.7%) | 1,319.500 | 0.347 |
| Not important at all | 32 (28.3%) | 9 (29.0%) | 23 (28.0%) | |||
| Not important | 29 (25.7%) | 11 (35.5%) | 18 (22.0%) | |||
| Undecided | 29 (25.7%) | 6 (19.4%) | 23 (28.0%) | |||
| Important | 16 (14.2%) | 4 (12.9%) | 12 (14.6%) | |||
| Very important | 3 (2.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (3.7%) | |||
| III.14. Different religious/cultural beliefs of patient or legal representative | 0a | 1 (0.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.2%) | 1,379.000 | 0.378 |
| Strongly disagree | 2 (1.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (2.4%) | |||
| Disagree | 8 (7.1%) | 4 (12.9%) | 4 (4.9%) | |||
| Undecided | 35 (31.0%) | 9 (29.0%) | 26 (31.7%) | |||
| Agree | 59 (52.2%) | 18 (58.1%) | 41 (50.0%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 8 (7.1%) | 0 (0.0%) | 8 (9.8%) | |||
| III.15. Different religious/cultural beliefs of physician | 0a | 2 (1.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (2.4%) | 1,398.500 | 0.281 |
| Strongly disagree | 34 (30.1%) | 14 (45.2%) | 20 (24.4%) | |||
| Disagree | 34 (30.1%) | 6 (19.4%) | 28 (34.1%) | |||
| Undecided | 23 (20.4%) | 4 (12.9%) | 19 (23.2%) | |||
| Agree | 18 (15.9%) | 7 (22.6%) | 11 (13.4%) | |||
| Strongly agree | 2 (1.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (2.4%) | |||
a
0 = Non-response to a given questionnaire item.