Characterising end-of-life decision-making of life-sustaining treatment among Japanese nurses

Abstract

Background: Often, nurses are closer to end-of-life (EOL) patients than other medical professionals, due to the time they spend with them at their bedside, which leads them to understand patients' care goals. Aims: To investigate the importance of EOL preferences by examining nurses' EOL decision-making regarding life-sustaining treatment (LST). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 559 self-reported questionnaires of Japanese nurses were examined. Marital status, age and decision-making regarding LST for themselves were investigated. Findings: Unmarried participants from all age groups had a higher percentage of ‘no preference for LST’ than married groups. Differences between the percentages were higher in the 20s age group. Married participants increasingly preferred to receive no LST as their age increased, unlike single participants. Conclusion: Marital status influences Japanese nurses' EOL decision-making regarding LST. Therefore, it is necessary to consider a patient's marital status to facilitate better decision-making.