Nursing practices to support adolescent patients with cancer and their parents in making end-of-life decisions

Abstract

 Purpose: This study aimed to define specific practices used by nurses to support adolescent patients with cancer and their parents in end-of-life decisions. Methods: This descriptive, qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with nurses with over five years of experience in pediatric nursing, including experience in end-of-life care for adolescent patients with cancer. Results: The interviews identified 65 codes representing nurses’ practices to support decision-making. These codes were organized into 19 subcategories and five main categories: (1) confirming the patient’s or parent’s treatment plan preferences, (2) coordinating to enable patients to live as they want, (3) preparing to explain with patients, (4) building trusting relationships with patients and their parents, (5) understanding patients’ thoughts and decision-making processes. Discussion: The findings suggest that nurses assess adolescent patients’ decision-making processes, recognizing that these patients may lack adequate information to make fully informed choices. Furthermore, actively involving patients early in their hospitalization is crucial for establishing trust in decision-making.