Descriptive characteristics of participants
| All participant characteristics | Participants (n=50) | % |
| Age | ||
| 18–30 | 1 | 2 |
| 31–65 | 44 | 88 |
| 66–75 | 5 | 10 |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 19 | 38 |
| Female | 31 | 62 |
| Country of birth | ||
| Australia | 31 | 62 |
| UK | 10 | 20 |
| Other | 9 | 18 |
| Employment status | ||
| Full time | 37 | 74 |
| Part time or causal | 9 | 18 |
| Not employed | 4 | 8 |
| State | ||
| Australian Capital Territory | 5 | 10 |
| New South Wales | 18 | 36 |
| Northern Territory | 4 | 8 |
| Queensland | 5 | 10 |
| South Australia | 6 | 12 |
| Tasmania | 1 | 2 |
| Victoria | 9 | 18 |
| Western Australia | 2 | 4 |
| Main occupation | ||
| Paramedic | 17 | 34 |
| General | 9 | 18 |
| Intensive care | 4 | 8 |
| Extended care | 1 | 2 |
| Intensive and extended care | 2 | 4 |
| Rescue | 1 | 2 |
| GP | 5 | 10 |
| Palliative care doctor | 7 | 14 |
| Palliative care nurse | 8 | 16 |
| Residential aged care nurse | 5 | 10 |
| Family member/carer | 8 | 16 |
| Health professional participant characteristics | Participants (n=42) | % |
| Location of workplace | ||
| Metropolitan | 27 | 64.3 |
| Rural | 10 | 23.8 |
| Remote | 5 | 11.9 |
| Predominant practice setting | ||
| Ambulance service | 17 | 40.5 |
| On-road | 10 | 58.8 |
| On-road and PhD candidate | 2 | 11.8 |
| On-road and leadership role | 5 | 29.4 |
| Palliative care | 15 | 35.7 |
| Community consult service | 2 | 13.3 |
| Inpatient palliative care unit | ||
| Acute hospital consult service | ||
| Mix of settings | 13 | 86.7 |
| General practice | 3 | 7.1 |
| Residential aged care | 6 | 14.3 |
| Other | 1 | 2.4 |
| Length of work experience | ||
| 1–5 years | 1 | 2 |
| 6–10 years | 5 | 10 |
| More than 10 years | 36 | 72 |
| Family member/carer participant characteristics | Participants (n=8) | % |
| Education background | ||
| Completed high school to year 10 equivalent | 1 | 12.5 |
| Completed final year of high school equivalent | ||
| Professional certificate or vocational school | 3 | 37.5 |
| Undergraduate degree | 1 | 12.5 |
| Postgraduate degree | 3 | 37.5 |
| Location that the person was cared for | ||
| Metropolitan | 6 | 75 |
| Rural | 2 | 25 |
| Remote | ||
| Relationship with the person cared for | ||
| Spouse | 3 | 37.5 |
| Parent/guardian | 4 | 50 |
| Aunt/uncle | 1 | 12.5 |
| Age range of person cared for | ||
| 31–65 | 4 | 50 |
| 66–75 | 1 | 12.5 |
| 76–85 | 1 | 12.5 |
| 86+ | 2 | 25 |
| Primary medical diagnosis of person being cared for | ||
| Cancer | 8 | 100 |
| Heart failure | ||
| Chronic respiratory disease | ||
| Dementia | ||
| Kidney failure | ||
| Liver failure | ||
| Motor neuron disease | ||
| Other |
GP, general practitioner.