title: Competencies and concerns in end-of-life care for medical students and residents.
abstract: A palliative medicine comfort-confidence survey developed by Weisman et al was utilized to assess self-reported competence and comfort with four end-of-life dimensions and determine future educational preferences. The survey was completed by 3rd and 4th year medical students (M3 and 4) and residents PGY 1-5. Self-reported competence increased with level of training. All trainees indicated the least comfort with 1) discussing home-hospice referrals; 2) conducting a family conference; 3) discussing the change from curative to comfort care; and 4) discontinuing i.v. hydration in a dying patient not taking oral nourishment. When withdrawing parenteral antibiotics from a non-decisional dementia patient with sepsis at the request of his legal guardian, M3 and 4 expressed a greater concern for violating medical practice standards while PGY4 and 5 showed a greater concern for the violation of personal religious or ethical beliefs. Pain management, pain assessment, hospice care and end-of-life communication where the most requested topics for future education.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia University, Charleston Division, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jubelirer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Babar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emmett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care