Nursing Roles and Strategies in End-of-Life Decision Making
Author Information
Author(s): Judith A. Adams, Donald E. Bailey Jr., Ruth A. Anderson, Sharron L. Docherty
Primary Institution: Duke University School of Nursing
Hypothesis
What roles do nurses play in end-of-life decision making in acute care settings?
Conclusion
Nurses play crucial roles as information brokers, supporters, and advocates in end-of-life decision making, but empirical evidence linking these roles to patient and family outcomes is lacking.
Supporting Evidence
- Nurses act as information brokers, providing critical information to both families and the medical team.
- Nurses build trusting relationships with families, which helps them navigate difficult decisions.
- Nurses advocate for patients by communicating their wishes to the medical team and challenging treatment decisions.
Takeaway
Nurses help families make tough decisions when someone is dying by sharing information, providing support, and speaking up for patients.
Methodology
A systematic review of literature from 1996 to 2011, analyzing 44 articles on nursing roles in end-of-life decision making.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported data from nurses and family members.
Limitations
Lack of empirical evidence linking nursing roles to patient and family outcomes; most studies were qualitative and retrospective.
Participant Demographics
The studies included nurses and family members from various acute care settings across ten countries.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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