Competency in End-of-Life Care among ENT – HNS Consultants and Residents: A Multi-Center Study

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the competency in end of life care of Ear, Nose, Throat – Head and Neck Surgery (ENT-HNS) consultants and residents using the domains of knowledge, skills and attitudes as measures of competency and to identify opportunities for improvement in end of life care education   Method: Design:  Cross- sectional survey Setting:  Five tertiary hospitals in Metro Manila Subjects: 52 ENT-HNS consultants and residents   Results: The majority of the respondents scored low across the knowledge, attitude and skills domains. Majority the respondents (67%) were low in the knowledge domain. More than half of the respondents (58%) demonstrated negative attitudes towards end- of-life care while majority of the respondents (56%) had low skills scores. Similarly, more than half (67%) of the respondents showed low over-all competence in end of life care.   Conclusion: The majority of the respondents scored low across all three domains that were used to measure the competency in end of life care. These findings may suggest a need to strengthen the ENT- HNS practitioners’ education in end-of-life care.   Keywords: end of life care, palliative care, terminal care