Advance directives in a hospital emergency department

Abstract

Patient participation in planning their health care means respecting the patient’s right to self-determination. In this sense, this study aimed to examine the position of doctors working in the Hospital Emergency Service of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre regarding patient advance directives. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 32 physicians. Most participants (81.3%) declared to have knowledge about advance directives, but only 6.3% declared having sufficient knowledge; 87.5% were in favor of their use and the patient’s will was considered decisive in three of the four scenarios presented; and 84.4% considered that specific legislation on the matter is necessary in addition to Resolution 1995/2012 of the Federal Council of Medicine. Our results allowed us to conclude that most physicians had prior knowledge about advance directives and were in favor of using this type of document in hospital emergency care.

Decision making; Advance directives; Emergency medical services; Bioethics