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Nurses' knowledge, experiences, and attitudes concerning living wills

B Downe-Wamboldt1, L Butler, S Coughlan

  • 1School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The Canadian Journal of Nursing Research = Revue Canadienne De Recherche En Sciences Infirmieres
|November 10, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Registered nurses in Nova Scotia reported low understanding and comfort discussing living wills, despite positive attitudes. Educational strategies are needed to overcome barriers and improve their use in practice.

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Area of Science:

  • Nursing Practice and Ethics
  • Healthcare Law and Policy

Background:

  • Living wills are crucial for patient autonomy in end-of-life care.
  • Understanding of relevant legislation by healthcare professionals is essential for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess registered nurses' understanding of living wills legislation.
  • To explore nurses' experiences, roles, and attitudes regarding living wills.
  • To identify barriers and resources for living wills in nursing practice.

Main Methods:

  • A survey was administered to a random sample of 974 registered nurses in Nova Scotia during the 1995-96 registration year.
  • 157 nurses responded, providing data on their knowledge, attitudes, experiences, and perceived barriers/resources related to living wills.

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Main Results:

  • Nurses demonstrated unfamiliarity with key legislation (Medical Consent Act, Hospitals Act, Powers of Attorney Act).
  • Despite positive attitudes towards living wills and identifying nurses as initiators, actual experience was minimal.
  • Nurses reported low understanding and discomfort discussing living wills, citing individual and environmental barriers.

Conclusions:

  • Significant gaps exist in nurses' understanding and practical application of living wills legislation.
  • Interdisciplinary educational strategies are essential to address barriers and enhance nurses' role in facilitating living wills.
  • Improved education can empower nurses to effectively support patient decision-making regarding advance directives.