Studying End of Life Conversations: Challenges and Strategies

End-of-life (EOL) conversations continue to be challenging for patients, families, and healthcare providers (HCPs) [1-3]. Although these dialogues can be emotionally charged, they are critical to ensure that care is aligned with patient preferences. Interventions directed at improving communication about EOL care have been shown to improve patient outcomes. Nurses are in a unique position to assist patients and families with advocating for EOL conversations [4,5]. Advance care planning studies are prominent in EOL literature with the intent of clarifying life sustaining treatment preferences of patients. Unfortunately, most EOL decisions are still made without direct input from patients but rather loved ones are burdened with deciding whether or not to continue life sustaining interventions. In addition, family members report that they were unaware of their loved ones wishes and values with all of the treatment options [6]. More research is needed to develop practical approaches and strategies to enhance EOL conversations to properly align patients’ priorities of care. But conducting these studies remains challenging.