Skills, expertise and role of Australian emergency clinicians in caring for people with advanced cancer

Abstract

Objectives To explore the views of Australian emergency department (ED) clinicians about their skills, role and expertise in caring for people with advanced cancer. Methods A cross-sectional electronic survey of doctors and nurses working in Australian EDs was undertaken. Comparisons were made by demographics and whether respondents had received palliative care education. Results The sample comprised 444 doctors (response rate 13.5%), the majority Fellows (emergency medicine specialists) of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, and 237 nurses, from all states, territories and regions (metropolitan and regional). A minority (n=123, 20.6%) felt that the ED was not an appropriate pla..