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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nyckelord

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

Nursing

Omvårdnad

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS

Caring sciences

HUMANITIES and RELIGION

Religion/Theology

Ethics

Nursing Science

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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