Online modules to improve health professionals’ end-of-life law knowledge and confidence: A pre-post survey study
Rachel Feeney1, QUT 1QUT
Abstract
Dr Rachel Feeney, Professor Lindy Willmott, Ms Penny Neller, Professor Shih-Ning Then, Distinguished Professor Patsy Yates AM and Professor Ben White (Queensland University of Technology)
Health professionals and medical students have knowledge gaps about the law that governs end-of-life decision-making in clinical practice. There is a lack of dedicated training on end-of-life law and corresponding research on the impact of such training.
We examined the impact of online training modules on end-of-life law on health professionals’ knowledge of end-of-life law and their self-reported confidence in applying the law in practice. Optional pre- and post-training surveys were completed by training participants. Surveys directly assessed legal knowledge and measured self-reported confidence in applying the law in clinical practice, before and after training. Feedback on the ELLC training was also analysed.
The final sample for analysis (n=136) included nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, medical students and a small number of non-health professionals. Following completion of the online training modules legal knowledge scores significantly increased overall and across each domain of end-of-life law (average increase of 2.2 correct answers from 10). Participants also reported increased confidence in applying this law in practice after training (post-training median = 3.0, confident; pre-training median = 2.0, not confident). Participants provided consistently positive feedback on the training.
Following completion of the ELLC online training modules, health professionals demonstrated significantly better legal knowledge and reported enhanced confidence in applying the law. Participants demonstrated some remaining knowledge gaps after training, suggesting that the training, while effective, should be undertaken as part of ongoing education on end-of-life law. Recommendations for training improvements are being implemented in response to participant feedback.
Biography
Rachel Feeney is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, QUT. Rachel has a background in interdisciplinary health research and is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with experience in end-of-life care. Rachel’s recent research has focused on end-of-life decision-making, including law, policy and clinical practice.