Care for a Dying Patient: EMS Perspectives on Caring for Hospice Patients

EMS providers frequently encounter patients in end-of-life situations. These situations can become ethically challenging depending on the nature of the event, availability of advance directives, and overall understanding of the situation by the patient and caregivers. This is particularly true for patients who are enrolled in Hospice, a specific form of end-of-life care available to patients with a terminal illness and expected lifespan of less than six months.

This study aimed to survey the state of Michigan's EMS providers regarding encounters with hospice patients to better understand challenges caring for this population and to identify any need for additional education.

An anonymous electronic survey was distributed via agency medical directors and a statewide listserv to all licensed EMS providers. Responses were collected via RedCap. Descriptive statistics were calculated.

A total of 706 responses were received. Most responses were from paramedics (55%) or EMTs (34%). 96% indicated having at least one encounter with a hospice patient and 66% had greater than 10 encounters. Only 24% had received formal education on the care of hospice patients. A high percentage (86%) indicated interest in additional training in this area. Challenges identified among providers were inaccessible advance directives (72%), pressure from family for more aggressive treatment (61%), and difficulty contacting hospice personnel (48%).

Educational gaps may be narrowed with additional end-of-life specific curricular components, with EMS providers expressing a strong desire for such training.