Therapeutic obstinacy at the end of life - creating a tool for researching the perception of healthcare professionals

Introduction: The delivery of end-of-life care presents ethical quandaries regarding the delineation between therapeutic efficacy and the potentially ambiguous advantages of subjecting individ uals with terminal illnesses to medical interventions.Therapeutic obstinacy at the end of life represents medical interventions that are inappropriate for the patient's clinical condition and circumstances, considering their potential outcomes, expectations, and burdens on the patient and family.These procedures try to prolong life rather than help it progress naturally.End-oflife care workers often have different views on therapeutic obstinacy and futile therapies, which affects their overall view of this type of care.The aim of this study is to create a questionnaire to collect data on health care professionals' perceptions of therapeutic obstinacy at the end of life.Materials and methods: To fulfill the objective of this work, a qualitative investigation was conducted, comprising the formation of three focus groups and the implementation of two pilot surveys.The aforementioned steps were taken to ensure that the questionnaire devised would effectively address the research objectives by acquiring information that is valid, accurate, and dependable.Results: The questionnaire created collects data on the perception of health care staff about interventions considered to be excessive and futile at the end of life, about the causes and pressure factors in these situations, as well as possible solutions to reduce this phenomenon.Conclusions: The perspectives obtained from the survey conducted in this study hold potential significance for professionals working in the fields of palliative care, oncology, critical care in ICU, emergency medicine, as well as individuals aspiring to pursue training and careers in these domains.Furthermore, the findings derived from our co mprehensive study will serve as a significant contribution to the current discourse on ethical co nsiderations within the realm of end-of-life care.