Health care social workers' views of ethical issues, practice, and policy in end-of-life care

End-of-life care decision making is perhaps the most difficult practice situation faced by health care social workers. Complex ethical issues arise from decisions regarding use of advancing medical technologies and/or other artificial treatments that may prolong life and/or compromise its quality. NASW has set forth a policy to help guide social workers dealing with end-of-life care decisions and the preservation of client self-determination in these situations. However, the present study (N = 63) revealed that a majority (57%) of social workers were not aware of the existence of, or were only somewhat familiar with the policy. Ethical dilemmas most often faced in end-of-life care situations related primarily to issues of communication between and among patients, families, and professionals. Practitioners indicated that more specific practice guidelines and increased education regarding bioethics and issues of end-of-life care are needed to be effective in assisting patients and families in end-of-life decision making.