End of life in the intensive care unit: should French law be adapted?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Longstanding concerns regarding end of life in the ICU led in France to the publication of guidelines, updated in 2009, that take into account the insights provided by a recent law (Leonetti's law) regarding patients' rights. After the French President asked a specific expert to review end of life issues, the French Intensive Care Society (SRLF) surveyed their members (doctors and paramedics) about various aspects of end of life in the ICU.

Methods

SRLF members were invited to respond to a questionnaire, sent by Email, designed to assess their knowledge of Leonetti's law and to determine how many caregivers would agree with the authorization of lethal drug administration in selected end of life situations.

Results

Questionnaires returned by 616 (23%) of 2,7

SUBMITTER: Robert R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4015966 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature