Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Singer, Jonathan
• Daum, Courtney
• Zecha, Gabrielle
• Kaplan, Louise
• Plakovic, Kathy
• Blazey, Meagan
• Arnold, Molly
• Silko, Barbara
• Baker, Kelsey
• Loggers, Elizabeth

Titel

Examining Willingness and Knowledge of Death with Dignity in Advanced Practice Providers in Washington State (RP522)

Ist Teil von

• Journal of pain and symptom management, 2022-06, Vol.63 (6), p.1109-1110

Ort / Verlag

Madison: Elsevier Limited

Erscheinungsjahr

2022

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Outcomes. 1. Identify the percentage of advanced practice providers (APPs) who are willing to prescribe or consult on death with dignity (DWD) cases 2. Identify why APPs are hesitating to prescribe or consult on DWD cases Importance. Death with dignity (DWD) allows terminally ill patients the ability to request oral medication to end their life. Despite the substantial access to DWD worldwide, DWD has been controversial in the United States, and DWD is legal in only 10 states and DC. The proposed legislation in Washington State would give physician's assistants and nurse practitioners (advanced practice providers [APPs]) the ability to act as DWD prescribing or consulting providers. There is limited research about APPs' knowledge and willingness to participate. Method. APPs (N = 77) working at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance in 2021 were asked about their willingness to participate in DWD, knowledge of DWD, and personal and professional experiences with DWD, and the factors influencing their views. Results. Thirty-nine APPs (51%) said they would be willing to participate in DWD in some capacity (i.e., consult or prescribe medication), 31 (40%) were unsure, and 7 (9%) were not willing to participate in any aspect of DWD. Of the participants who reported being unsure whether they wanted to consult or prescribe, all strongly agreed or agreed that DWD should be legal. Most APPs reported they were "not at all" to "somewhat" knowledgeable about eligibility criteria (67%), defining prognosis (73%), educating the patient (70%), being the consulting clinician (82%), prescribing medications (94%), and following legal requirements (86%) for DWD cases. The four greatest influences on APPs' views of DWD were professional experience (61%), individual values (54%), educational experience (47%), and personal experience (30%). Conclusion. This study provides evidence that APPs believe DWD should be legal but are predominantly unsure whether they want to play an active role in prescribing or consulting. This hesitation may be due to their lack of knowledge of aspects of DWD. Therefore, evidence-based training will likely be required for APPs to confidently participate.