Limitations in health professionals' knowledge of end-of-life law: a cross-sectional survey.
Journal
BMJ supportive & palliative care
ISSN: 2045-4368
Titre abrégé: BMJ Support Palliat Care
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101565123
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
02 Jun 2021
02 Jun 2021
Historique:
received:
21
03
2021
accepted:
19
05
2021
entrez:
4
6
2021
pubmed:
5
6
2021
medline:
5
6
2021
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Insufficient knowledge about end-of-life law can impede the provision of safe and high-quality end-of-life care. Accurate legal knowledge across health professions is critical in palliative and end-of-life settings given the reliance on multidisciplinary care. Most research has focused on doctors, finding significant knowledge gaps. The limited evidence about other health professions also suggests legal knowledge deficits. To determine and compare levels of knowledge about end-of-life law across a broad sample of Australian health professionals and medical students, and to identify predictors of legal knowledge. An online pre-training survey was completed by participants enrolled in a national training programme on end-of-life law. The optional survey collected demographic data and measured baseline legal knowledge and attitudes towards end-of-life law. Response rate was 67% (1653/2456). The final sample for analysis (n=1564, 95% of respondents), included doctors, medical students, nurses and a range of allied health professionals. Doctors and nurses had slightly higher levels of legal knowledge than did medical students and allied health professionals; all had critical knowledge gaps. Demographic and professional characteristics predicted knowledge levels, with experience of end-of-life law in practice, confidence applying law and recent continuing professional development being positively associated with legal knowledge. This study provides new evidence about legal knowledge across a broad range of health professions. While knowledge levels varied somewhat across professions, knowledge gaps were observed in all professional groups. Education and training initiatives to enhance knowledge of end-of-life law should be tailored to meet the specific needs of each profession.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Insufficient knowledge about end-of-life law can impede the provision of safe and high-quality end-of-life care. Accurate legal knowledge across health professions is critical in palliative and end-of-life settings given the reliance on multidisciplinary care. Most research has focused on doctors, finding significant knowledge gaps. The limited evidence about other health professions also suggests legal knowledge deficits.
OBJECTIVE
OBJECTIVE
To determine and compare levels of knowledge about end-of-life law across a broad sample of Australian health professionals and medical students, and to identify predictors of legal knowledge.
METHODS
METHODS
An online pre-training survey was completed by participants enrolled in a national training programme on end-of-life law. The optional survey collected demographic data and measured baseline legal knowledge and attitudes towards end-of-life law.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Response rate was 67% (1653/2456). The final sample for analysis (n=1564, 95% of respondents), included doctors, medical students, nurses and a range of allied health professionals. Doctors and nurses had slightly higher levels of legal knowledge than did medical students and allied health professionals; all had critical knowledge gaps. Demographic and professional characteristics predicted knowledge levels, with experience of end-of-life law in practice, confidence applying law and recent continuing professional development being positively associated with legal knowledge.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
This study provides new evidence about legal knowledge across a broad range of health professions. While knowledge levels varied somewhat across professions, knowledge gaps were observed in all professional groups. Education and training initiatives to enhance knowledge of end-of-life law should be tailored to meet the specific needs of each profession.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34083318
pii: bmjspcare-2021-003061
doi: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2021-003061
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Competing interests: We disclose that BPW, LW, S-NT and PY were funded to develop ELLC and that RF and PN are employed on ELLC, a training program designed to enhance clinicians’ knowledge of end-of-life law.