Advance Care Planning and End-of-Life Decision Making for Patients with Cancer.

Overview

OBJECTIVE: To highlight the importance, challenges, and evolution of advance care planning for patients with cancer. DATA SOURCES: Peer-reviewed journal articles and clinical guidelines. CONCLUSION: Advance care planning is fundamental to support the personhood of patients with advanced cancer. Patients must be encouraged by physicians and nurses to articulate what matters and provides meaning to them as they live, cope, and receive treatment for their cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses can facilitate advance care planning and primary palliative care, to support patients and families to make informed and value-concordant decisions regarding cancer and end-of-life treatments.