Table 4 Medical student perceived comfort levels with palliative care patient management (N = 183)
From: Medical student experiences and perceptions of palliative care in a middle eastern country
Clinical experience | Not Comfortable n (%N) | Somewhat Comfortable n (%N) | Comfortable n (%N) | Very Comfortable n (%N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Informing a patient or their family of a terminal diagnosis | 82 (44.8%) | 70 (38.3%) | 31 (16.9%) | 0 (0%) |
Discussing prognosis with a terminal patient or their family | 66 (36.1%) | 84 (45.9%) | 33 (18.0%) | 0 (0%) |
Performing basic pain assessment | 56 (30.6%) | 70 (38.3%) | 51 (27.9%) | 6 (3.3%) |
Prescribing oral opioids in palliative patients | 65 (35.5%) | 71 (38.8%) | 44 (24.0%) | 3 (1.6%) |
Prescribing parenteral opioids in palliative patients | 69 (37.7%) | 60 (32.8%) | 47 (25.7%) | 6 (3.3%) |
Prescribing non-opioid analgesia in palliative patients | 60 (32.8%) | 57 (31.1%) | 56 (30.6%) | 10 (5.5%) |
Managing terminal delirium, anxiety and depression | 81 (44.3%) | 64 (35.0%) | 31 (16.9%) | 7 (3.8%) |
Assessing and managing terminal dyspnea | 65 (35.5%) | 71 (38.8%) | 44 (24%) | 3 (1.6%) |
Managing nausea, vomiting, and constipation in palliative patients | 69 (37.7%) | 60 (32.8%) | 47 (25.7%) | 6 (3.3%) |
Assessing patient’s decision-making capacity | 60 (32.8%) | 57 (31.1%) | 56 (30.6%) | 10 (5.5%) |
Discussing religious/ spiritual aspects related to end-of-life with patients and their families | 81 (44.3%) | 64 (35.0%) | 31 (16.9%) | 7 (3.8%) |
Identifying patients’ cultural and social customs related to death and dying | 91 (49.7%) | 61 (33.3%) | 28 (15.3%) | 3 (1.6%) |