Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care

Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care (한국호스피스완화의료학회)
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Awareness and Attitude Change after End-of-Life Care Education for Medical Students

말기환자 돌봄 교육 후 의과대학생의 인식과 태도 변화

  • Kim, Hyun-Kyung (Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine) ;
  • Nam, Eun-Mi (Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Kyoung-Eun (Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Soon-Nam (Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine)
  • 김현경 (이화여자대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 남은미 (이화여자대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 이경은 (이화여자대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 이순남 (이화여자대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실)
  • Received : 2011.11.07
  • Accepted : 2012.02.06
  • Published : 2012.03.01
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Abstract

Purposes: Most medical schools in Korea do not provide adequate education in end-of-life care. This study was designed to illustrate the need to improve end-of-life care education and to assess the effect of the education on fourth-year medical students' awareness and attitude towards hospice and palliative care for terminally ill patients. Methods: One hundred sixty six fourth-year medical students were surveyed with questionnaires on end-of-life care before and after they received the education. Results: Before receiving the education, students most frequently answered "at the end of life" (33.6%) was appropriate time to write an advance medical directive. After the education, the most frequent answer was "in healthy status" (58.7%). More students agreed to withholding or withdrawing futile life-sustaining treatment increased after the education (48.1% vs. 92.5% (P<0.001) for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 38.3% vs. 92.5% (P<0.001) for intubation and mechanical ventilation, 39.1% vs. 85.8% (P<0.001) for inotropics, 60.9% vs. 94.8% (P<0.001) for dialysis and 27.8% vs. 56.0% (P<0.001) for total parenteral nutrition). Significantly more students opposed euthanasia after the education (46.6% vs. 82.1%, P<0.001). All students agreed to the need for education in end-of-life care. Conclusion: After reflecting on the meaning of death through the end-of-life care education, most students recognized the need for the education. The education brought remarkable changes in students' awareness and attitude towards patients at the end of life. We suggest end-of-life care education should be included in the regular curriculum of all medical schools in Korea.

목적: 우리나라에서는 의과대학에서 말기환자 돌봄에 대한 교육이 충분치 못하다. 이 연구는 의과대학생에서 말기환자 돌봄 교육이 학생들의 말기환자의 돌봄에 관한 인식과 태도에 미치는 영향을 평가하고 교육에 대한 요구도를 파악하고자 하였다. 방법: 이화여자대학교 의학전문대학원 의학과 4학년 학생 166명을 대상으로 말기환자의 호스피스 완화의료에 관한 설문조사를 교육 전과 후에 조사하여 분석하였다. 결과: 사전의료의향서 작성시기에 관한 질문에 교육 전에는 '임종이 가까운 말기'가 33.6%로 가장 빈도가 높았으나 교육 후에는 '건강할 때'가 58.7%로 가장 많았다. 무의미한 연명치료의 유보나 중지에 관하여는 수업 전과 후에 심폐소생술은 48.1% 대 92.5%, 기관삽관이나 인공호흡기 38.3% 대 92.5%, 혈압상승제 39.1% 대 85.8%, 혈액투석 60.9% 대 94.8%, 총정맥영양공급 27.8% 대 56.0%로 유의한 변화를 보였다. 안락사에 대한 반대 의사는 46.6%에서 82.1%로 현저히 증가하였다. 모든 학생이 말기환자 돌봄 교육이 필요하다고 동의하였다. 결론: 대부분의 의과대학생은 임종환자관리 교육과정을 통해 죽음의 의미에 대해 성찰하는 시간을 갖고 말기환자의 호스피스 완화의료 교육의 필요성을 인식하였다. 또한 말기환자의 돌봄에 관한 인식과 태도의 변화가 컸다. 향후 이러한 교육과정이 모든 의과대학에서 정규교육과정으로 포함되어야 할 것이다.

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