Abstract
The living will is a document in which the patients specify their wishes regarding what treatments should be carried out if they are in terminal condition. As it is a new subject, it has been generating doubts in relation to its diffusion, social acceptance and ethical principles. Our study is aimed at verifying the knowledge of healthcare professionals about this document, and analyzing different aspects related to its legal regulation and applicability. A cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative study was performed in a sample of 351 healthcare professionals, through the application of a survey containing 29 multiple-choice questions, 9 about the sociodemographic profile and 20 about the opinion of the interviewees regarding the document. Among the respondents, 7.98% declared they knew how to write the document, 73.79% felt safer with its regulation, and 61.82% would do it for themselves (p < 0.05). Despite not previously knowing what a living will was, the majority of the sample stated they were in favour of the document and its regulation. This result suggests a need for further discussion and disclosure on the subject in the health sector.
Advance directives; Bioethics; Critical illness; Professional practice
* Question 11: If the respondent answers “no”, the interviewer should briefly explain the living will, enabling the interviewee to have the knowledge to answer questions 12 to 20.
*Questão 11: Caso o entrevistado responda “não”, o entrevistador deve explicar sucintamente acerca do TV, possibilitando que o entrevistado tenha o conhecimento necessário para responder às questões de 12 a 20.