Paprocka-Lipińska Anna, Damps Maria, Barsow Sylwia, Kosiba Beata
Division of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Upper Silesian Child Health Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Poland.
Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2025 Apr 15;57(1):50-58. doi: 10.5114/ait/200232.
The purpose of this survey was to investigate the opinions on futile therapy among anaesthesiologists and residents in anaesthesiology and intensive therapy as well as to determine the frequency of the futile therapy protocol being used. Additionally, the survey aimed to determine the factors responsible for futile therapy being still practised in intensive care units (ICUs).
The authors developed a questionnaire for the purpose of the study. In addition to questions about professional status, gender, age, seniority, and place of work, questions regarding aspects of futile therapy in the context of medical decision-making were included in the study tool. A question was also asked about whether the COVID-19 pandemic might have influenced the perception of futile therapy. The survey was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) technique. The questionnaires were completed in an online form between May and October 2023.
The study group consisted of 488 respondents including anaesthesiologists and residents in anaesthesiology and intensive therapy. About 80% of the respondents were anaesthesiologists, with an average ICU experience of about 15 years. The vast majority of anaesthesiologists ( = 458) were of the opinion that the decisions on intensive care limits should be subject to legal regulations.
Polish anaesthesiologists recognise the need to regulate the decision-making process as part of the legal system while not perceiving a need for their decisions to be subject to authorization by hospital ethics committees. Respondents also note the need to educate the public on the subject of end-of-life care.
本次调查的目的是了解麻醉科医生以及麻醉与重症治疗专业住院医师对无效治疗的看法,并确定无效治疗方案的使用频率。此外,该调查旨在确定重症监护病房(ICU)中仍存在无效治疗的原因。
作者为该研究设计了一份问卷。除了关于职业地位、性别、年龄、资历和工作地点的问题外,研究工具中还包括了与医疗决策背景下无效治疗相关的问题。还询问了一个问题,即新冠疫情是否可能影响了对无效治疗的认知。调查采用计算机辅助网络访谈(CAWI)技术进行。问卷于2023年5月至10月以在线形式完成。
研究组由488名受访者组成,包括麻醉科医生以及麻醉与重症治疗专业住院医师。约80%的受访者为麻醉科医生,平均有大约15年的ICU工作经验。绝大多数麻醉科医生(n = 458)认为,重症监护限制的决策应受法律法规约束。
波兰麻醉科医生认识到,作为法律体系的一部分,需要规范决策过程,但不认为他们的决策需要得到医院伦理委员会的批准。受访者还指出,有必要就临终关怀主题对公众进行教育。