Nurses’ and physicians’ opinions on aggressiveness of treatment for general ward patients

• The aim of this study was to evaluate agreement between nurses’ and physicians’ opinions regarding aggressiveness of treatment and to investigate and compare the rationales on which their opinions were based. Structured interviews regarding 714 patients were performed on seven general wards of a university hospital. The data gathered were then subjected to qualitative and quantitative analyses. There was 86% agreement between nurses’ and physicians’ opinions regarding full or limited treatment when the answers given as ‘uncertain’ were excluded. Agreement was less (77%) for patients with a life expectancy of less than one year. Disagreements were not associated with professional status because the physicians considered limiting life-sustaining treatment as often as the nurses. A broad spectrum of rationales was given but the results focus mostly on those for full treatment. The nurses and the physicians had similar bases for their opinions. For the majority of the patients, medical rationales were used, but age and quality of life were also expressed as important determinants. When considering full treatment, nurses used quality-of-life rationales for significantly more patients than the physicians. Respect for patients’ wishes had a minor influence.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskaper -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion -- Religionsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion -- Religious Studies (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS

TVÄRVETENSKAPLIGA FORSKNINGSOMRÅDEN

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS Caring sciences

TVÄRVETENSKAPLIGA FORSKNINGSOMRÅDEN Vårdvetenskap

HUMANITIES and RELIGION

HUMANIORA och RELIGIONSVETENSKAP

HUMANITIES and RELIGION Religion/Theology

HUMANIORA och RELIGIONSVETENSKAP Religionsvetenskap/Teologi

HUMANITIES and RELIGION Religion/Theology Ethics

HUMANIORA och RELIGIONSVETENSKAP Religionsvetenskap/Teologi Etik

Vårdvetenskap

Nursing Science

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS Caring sciences Nursing

TVÄRVETENSKAPLIGA FORSKNINGSOMRÅDEN Vårdvetenskap Omvårdnad

Age Factors

Attitude of Health Personnel

Cooperative Behavior

Decision Making

Dissent and Disputes

Female

Hospitals; University

Humans

Life Support Care/*methods/psychology

Male

Medical Futility

Medical Staff; Hospital/*psychology

Nursing Methodology Research

Nursing Staff; Hospital/*psychology

Patient Participation/psychology

Patient Selection

Physician-Nurse Relations

Prognosis

Qualitative Research

Quality of Life

Questionnaires

Sweden

Terminal Care/*methods/psychology

Withholding Treatment

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)