Authors

1Jorge Rouco Velasco, 1Diego Tuñas Maceiras, 1María Iglesias Gutiérrez, 1Adrián López Pérez, 1David Carlos Lago Valverde, 1Nuria María Lago del Riego

Position

1 Enfermero/a de la Asociación de Jóvenes Enfermeros de Galicia.

Contact email: jroucovelasco@hotmail.com

Abstract

Purpose: A living will form (LW) consist of a written statement on the wishes of an adult, able, and free individual, and describes how he/she wants to be treated by his/her doctor or healthcare team in case he/she  is not able to make such decisions. It also includes instructions regarding the potential end use of his/her organs and body.
Purpose: To assess the perceptions of Primary Care nurses on their own knowledge and attitudes on LW.
Material and methods: A descriptive quantitative cross-sectional  field study based on a validated questionnaire that was developed by experts and specifically designed for such aim.
Results: Among 99 nurses included in the study sample, 87.9% knew what LW is, and 67.70% were not aware of the current laws regarding it. About 67.7% did not know how to fill out and/or record a LW. About 62.6% did not know a Registry for Living Wills existed, and 86.9% did not know whether a LW included in this Registry is also valid in other places in Spain. About 81.82% had not attended any training course in the last five years. About 62.63% thought that spreading and communicating information on LW should be carried out by Primary Care, but 85.9% had not ever given details on it to any patient, and 72.73% did not know how to find out in medical records if a patient has issued a LW. About 76.8% of nurses stated LW is a useful tool for healthcare.
Conclusions: The present study has found a very limited knowledge by nurses on LW, a favorable attitude to improve such knowledge, and that they provide their patients virtually no details on LW.

Keywords:

living will form (LW); living will; health care directive; advance directive; Primary Care

Versión en Español

Título:

Conocimientos y actitudes de los profesionales de enfermería de Atención Primaria sobre el documento de instrucciones previas (DIP)