TY - JOUR
T1 - Advance Directive Communication: Nurses’ and Social Workers’ Perceptions of Roles
AU - Black, Kathy
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - As a facet of advance care planning for future health care, advance directive communication represents an important aspect of professional health care practice with older patients. Nurses and social workers routinely discuss advance directives in acute care settings; however, communication practices by discipline are not well understood. This qualitative study explored differences in advance directive communication practices by comparing and contrasting nurses’ and social workers’ perceptions of their roles. Focus group interviews were conducted with nurses (n = 6) and social workers (n = 5). Five key themes emerged from the data. Findings suggest that both professions perceive primary educational roles, though their informational practices differed in content. The professionals reported differential pathways that led to their practices with patients. Both disciplines identified advocacy roles with families and providers. The practitioners reported distinct roles with families. There was mutual recognition of interdisciplinary roles. The findings suggest that nurses and social workers engage in both parallel and complementary advance care planning practices with their patients.
AB - As a facet of advance care planning for future health care, advance directive communication represents an important aspect of professional health care practice with older patients. Nurses and social workers routinely discuss advance directives in acute care settings; however, communication practices by discipline are not well understood. This qualitative study explored differences in advance directive communication practices by comparing and contrasting nurses’ and social workers’ perceptions of their roles. Focus group interviews were conducted with nurses (n = 6) and social workers (n = 5). Five key themes emerged from the data. Findings suggest that both professions perceive primary educational roles, though their informational practices differed in content. The professionals reported differential pathways that led to their practices with patients. Both disciplines identified advocacy roles with families and providers. The practitioners reported distinct roles with families. There was mutual recognition of interdisciplinary roles. The findings suggest that nurses and social workers engage in both parallel and complementary advance care planning practices with their patients.
KW - advance directives
KW - interdisciplinary teams
KW - professional communication
KW - older adults
KW - advance care planning
UR - https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/gey_facpub_sm/14
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909106289080
U2 - 10.1177/1049909106289080
DO - 10.1177/1049909106289080
M3 - Article
C2 - 17060276
VL - 23
JO - American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
JF - American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
ER -