The Language of End-of-Life Decision Making: A Simulation Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Framing is known to influence decision making.

Objective

The study objective was to describe language used by physicians when discussing treatment options with a critically and terminally ill elder.

Methods

High-fidelity simulation was used, involving an elder with end-stage cancer and life-threatening hypoxia, followed by a debriefing interview. Subjects were hospitalist, emergency medicine, and critical care physicians from three academic medical centers. Measures were observation of encounters in real time followed by content analysis of simulation and debriefing interview transcripts. During the simulation we identified the first mention ("broaching") of principal treatment options--intubation and mechanical ventilation (life-sustaining treatment [LST])

SUBMITTER: Lu A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4696426 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature