Multi-Site Study of Provider Self-Efficacy and Beliefs in Explaining Judgments About Need and Responsibility for Advance Care Planning.

Multi-Site Study of Provider Self-Efficacy and Beliefs in Explaining Judgments About Need and Responsibility for Advance Care Planning.

Baughman KR; Ludwick R; Jarjoura D; Yeager M; Kropp D

The American Journal Of Hospice & Palliative Care

2020

2020-12-09

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We examined the impact of advance care planning (ACP) self-efficacy and beliefs in explaining skilled nursing facility (SNF) provider judgments about resident need and provider responsibility for initiating ACP conversations. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This observational multi-site study of 348 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and social workers within 29 SNFs used an anonymous survey in which providers judged vignettes with assigned situational features of a typical SNF resident. Mixed modeling was used to analyze the vignette responses. RESULTS: Providers who had more negative beliefs about ACP were less likely to judge residents in need of ACP and less likely to feel responsible for ensuring ACP took place. Self-efficacy did not have a significant impact on judgments of need, but did significantly increase judgments of responsibility for ensuring ACP conversations. Providers with the highest levels of ACP self-efficacy were most likely to feel responsible for ensuring ACP conversations. In an exploratory analysis, these relationships remained the same whether responding to high or low risk residents (i.e., based on risk of hospitalization, type of diagnosis, functional status, and rate of declining health). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Both negative beliefs about ACP and self-efficacy in one's ability to conduct ACP discussions were associated with professional judgments regarding ACP. The findings illustrate the importance of addressing negative beliefs about ACP and increasing provider ACP self-efficacy through education and policies that empower nurses and social workers.

advance care planning; nurses; social workers; factorial survey; self-efficacy; decision-making; skilled nursing facilities; beliefs

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journalArticle

1049909120979977

1938-2715 1049-9091

NEOMED College of Medicine

Department of Family & Community Medicine

NEOMED Student Publications

December 2020 List