Conocimientos y actitud de las enfermeras de Atención Primaria sobre las Voluntades Anticipadas

Abstract

Introduction: The basic regulatory law on the patient’s autonomy and on the rights and obligations in matter of information and clinical documentation regulates the Advanced Directives Form. Health professionals are under the obligation of knowing the existent legislation on this matter, informing patients and respecting their will. Objective: To know the opinion, knowledge and attitude of the nurses in Primary Health Care in Asturias about the Advanced Directives and the law regulating them. Method: Transversal descriptive study. Addressed to PHC nurses in Asturias, through a self-filled survey carried out between May and June 2014. Results: Out of the 646 surveys that were sent, 514 were received, which means an answer rate of 79,5%. 92% know what ADF is, 52% knows about the one in our Community, and out of this, 67% believe is easy to fill it in. 84% think PHC is a an adequate environment to deal with this matter. 4º% have asked the patients whether they have done it. 61% would be able to provide information, a percentage that increases with age. 5.45% had their own ADF and 47% were thinking about doing it. Conclusions: The majority of PHC nurses in Asturias know about ADF, they believe PHC is an adequate environment to deal with this issue and they would be able to provide information about it, although they haven’t assimilated this to their daily activity. A high percentage is thinking about doing their own ADD but not that many have already done it.