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Purpose: There is a lack of discussion regarding end-of-life care planning which results in low advanced directive execution (AD) rates. This can lead to decision making by family, friends, and the health care team on behalf of patients whose end-of-life care wishes are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention in the work setting to increase end-of-life discussions and the execution of advanced directives. Methods: A descriptive design was used in an occupational workplace setting at a local bottling company after appropriate IRB approval was obtained. An educational intervention based on the Five Wishes document was presented in an occupational health setting covering all shifts and employment categories. A pre-program questionnaire measured a lack of knowledge and understanding of end-of-life planning and advanced directives. A post-program questionnaire measured the increase in knowledge and understanding of end-of-life planning and advanced directives. A focus group was conducted with audio recording to describe personal experiences. The quantitative analysis used statistical procedures to describe and synthesize data and content analysis was conducted on the focus group data. Results: A sample of 78 participants was used to gather the quantitative data. Of the total participants, an overwhelming majority were male with ethnic backgrounds evenly represented. Most of the participants either were married and either were drivers, salespeople, or warehouse workers. More participants indicated no religious affiliation than any other affiliation, and the majority of participants indicated that they had a high school diploma. When questioned about their 1) knowledge of advanced directives, 2) whether or not they would consider executing an advanced directive, 3) whether or not they were likely to discuss end-of-life care with other, 4) whether they would be comfortable having someone make end-of-life decisions on their behalf, and 5) whether or not they believed that advanced directives were important, the majority of participants indicated that they strongly agreed or agreed. However, none of the participants had executed an advanced directive. Only 10.3% of participants had ever discussed AD's with a healthcare provider. When the same participants were asked the same questions after the education portion of the study, data analysis of the pre- and post-program questionnaire mean scores, revealed a significant increase in scores on questions 1,2 and 3 (p > .05), and no significant increase on question 4 and 5 (p > .05). The implication of these findings suggest that an education intervention program in a workplace setting significantly increases end-of-life discussions and advanced directive execution rates. The Jones model of end-of-life education intervention and interpretation of the study are presented. Limitations of the study, as well as implications for nursing professionals and health care providers that will improve patient outcomes are presented. Discussion/Implication: The study shows that workplace education regarding Advanced Directives can lead to increase end-of-life discussions and increase advanced directive execution rates. Therefore, this education program at a worksite merits further research and may serve as a model program for other worksite settings.

Criminal aspects of advanced directives and Do Not Resuscitate orders Abstract The aim of this thesis was to analyse current legal regulation of advanced directives and Do Not Resuscitate orders, particularly of their criminal aspects. These legal concepts are relatively new in the Czech law, therefore there are still many questions about them and Czech law unfortunately does not offer definite answers. In the first chapters I focused on general criminal aspects of provision of health services. I analysed conditions of criminal liability in connection with health services, with emphasis on the principle of subsidiarity of criminal prosecution. In this part I also addressed the issue of mercy killing, by another name euthanasia and its differentiation from other types of end-of-life decision making. In the second chapter, I approached the matter of criminal liability of providers of health care services, as legal persons, which became after the last amendments in this area significant also for health care. The following chapters were dedicated to advanced directives. At first, I analysed this legal concept in the matter of civil law, which is essential for its comprehensive interpretation. I tried to identify the main ambiguities of the legal regulation, whether regarding new regulation of substitute...

Nursing Care for Terminal Patients in Intensive Care Units by Pervell Dunbar Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University August 2015 Although the goal of the ICU has always been to save lives, ICU now additionally provides end-of life (EOL) care. The objective of this project was to provide ICU nurses with a comprehensive awareness of physical, emotional, and spiritual EOL care issues of patients and their families in order to be better equipped to handle EOL care. The framework used was Jean Watson's Caring model (10 Caritas). A literature review revealed a poster previously used by a major health organization as a conversation starter to facilitate decision-making among ICU nurses, EOL patients, and their families related to EOL issues. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to introduce and implement an educational EOL tool that would engage patients and family members in meaningful and useful conversations with ICU nurses. Twenty seven ICU nurses were selected by the unit's director to attend a PowerPoint presentation on the use of the EOL educational poster. Four ICU nurses were chosen by the director to be champions for this project. After the presentation, there was a period for questions and answers, and the ICU nurses were requested to give feedback on the presentation. The result from the feedback revealed that EOL care is outside previous practice and may require extra education and support. These comments substantiated similar conclusions from other researchers as described in this paper. With an increase in EOL training for ICU nurses and the implementation of EOL teaching tools like the poster used in this study, ICU nurses may be better able to have conversations with EOL patients and families, thus improving patient care.

A dignidade da pessoa humana e a autonomia privada espraiam-se pela experiência da vida, alcançando a doença e a morte. As diretivas antecipadas, gênero dos quais são espécies o testamento vital e o mandato duradouro, constituem negócio jurídico de caráter existencial que têm por objetivo assegurar a realização da dignidade da pessoa e o cumprimento dos atos de autonomia nas situações em que a pessoa estiver incapacitada para manifestar sua vontade. As diretivas representam instrumento de autodeterminação através do qual a pessoa disciplina os tratamentos médicos que aceita ou não ser submetida, autoriza doação de órgão, estipula se tem interesse em conhecer seu estado clínico e/ou nomeia terceira pessoa para tomar estas decisões em seu lugar. As três primeiras hipóteses constituem o que usualmente se qualifica como testamento vital, enquanto a última situação descrita configura o mandato duradouro. O objeto de estudo abrange a evolução das diretivas antecipadas, a disciplina existente em países que já regulamentaram o tema, a legitimação no sistema jurídico brasileiro (o que autoriza a conclusão favorável a sua utilização independentemente de lei expressa) e a sistematização deste negócio jurídico perante o ordenamento jurídico. / Human dignity and autonomy get extended through life, reaching illness and death. The advanced directives, which species are the living will and durable power of attorney, represent an existential act aimed to fulfill human dignity and to preserve ones autonomy when lacking the ability of transmitting ones desire personally (disability). The advance directives are an instrument of self-determination that may contain clauses to withheld or withdraw medical treatment, authorize organ donation, discipline the right to know ones medical condition and to indicate an attorney for health care, to whom will be delegate those decisions. The object of study covers the evolution of the advance directives, their discipline in the countries that already legislate about it, the source of legitimation in brazilian Law system (what includes a positive understanding on its usage even though without a specific law) and the guide lines of the act, such as form and legitimacy.

A dignidade da pessoa humana e a autonomia privada espraiam-se pela experiência da vida, alcançando a doença e a morte. As diretivas antecipadas, gênero dos quais são espécies o testamento vital e o mandato duradouro, constituem negócio jurídico de caráter existencial que têm por objetivo assegurar a realização da dignidade da pessoa e o cumprimento dos atos de autonomia nas situações em que a pessoa estiver incapacitada para manifestar sua vontade. As diretivas representam instrumento de autodeterminação através do qual a pessoa disciplina os tratamentos médicos que aceita ou não ser submetida, autoriza doação de órgão, estipula se tem interesse em conhecer seu estado clínico e/ou nomeia terceira pessoa para tomar estas decisões em seu lugar. As três primeiras hipóteses constituem o que usualmente se qualifica como testamento vital, enquanto a última situação descrita configura o mandato duradouro. O objeto de estudo abrange a evolução das diretivas antecipadas, a disciplina existente em países que já regulamentaram o tema, a legitimação no sistema jurídico brasileiro (o que autoriza a conclusão favorável a sua utilização independentemente de lei expressa) e a sistematização deste negócio jurídico perante o ordenamento jurídico. / Human dignity and autonomy get extended through life, reaching illness and death. The advanced directives, which species are the living will and durable power of attorney, represent an existential act aimed to fulfill human dignity and to preserve ones autonomy when lacking the ability of transmitting ones desire personally (disability). The advance directives are an instrument of self-determination that may contain clauses to withheld or withdraw medical treatment, authorize organ donation, discipline the right to know ones medical condition and to indicate an attorney for health care, to whom will be delegate those decisions. The object of study covers the evolution of the advance directives, their discipline in the countries that already legislate about it, the source of legitimation in brazilian Law system (what includes a positive understanding on its usage even though without a specific law) and the guide lines of the act, such as form and legitimacy.

The subject of this thesis is one very important relationship of health care - the doctor- patient-relationship. During a recent decades a big attention was paid to this theme both on international and czech field. In the Czech Republic the doctor-patient-relationship went through the essential change, when instantly changed from a paternalistic relationship to a partnership. Many legal changes followed this change finishing it by accepting the Act on Healthcare Services which for example describes rights and duties of subjects of this relationship. The first part is dedicated to a doctor-patient-relationship itself. Its history and evolution, placement in a legal system, legal form. One part is dedicated to an ethic aspect of doctor-patient-relationship. The second part discusses about rights and duties of both participants of this relationship. Specifically, rights determined by the Act on Healthcare Services. The third part is dedicated to detailed analysis of some basic patient's rigths and the doctor's duties characterizing doctor-patient-relationship in its current form. These are informed consent, where I describe, why it is needed. I was concerned about its requisites, possibility to abandon informed consent, to informed dissent including its form while a short look on an issue of...

The making of an end of life decision represents worldwide one of the most difficult issues that physicians can be confronted with - not only should it be regarded as consisting of medical and legal aspects, but ethics and moral values are present as well. Furthermore, it shall not be supposed that the economic parameter is negligible, unfortunately even to the contrary. The fact that the decision is often made by physicians under pressure caused by a system of limited resources (and therefore it can not avoid being distorted ) must be kept in mind. At any rate , according to Czech law under which neither assisted suicide nor life termination on the request is allowed, the legality and legitimacy of withdrawal and withholding of medical treatment is based on the argument of informed consent of the patient, advanced directives and the standard of lege artis treatment. These also shall be pleaded as defences in eventual criminal proceedings.