Patient control and end-of-life care part II: the advanced practice nurse perspective

To explore the nature of what people with advanced cancer want regarding personal control and comfort at the end of life.

Descriptive, naturalistic, using Denzins model of interpretive interactionism.

A variety of urban and rural communities throughout the state of Texas.

7 people with advanced cancer diagnoses.

Participants were recruited via oncology advanced practice nurses who also participated in the study. Interviews were recorded on audiotape and analyzed via Denzins interpretive process of data analysis.

Patient control.

Thematic analysis revealed six themes: protection of dignity, control of pain and other symptoms associated with disease, management of treatment, management of how remaining time is spent, management of impact on family, and control over the dying process.

Participants expressed a wide variety of preferences for personal control and comfort. Their desires reflected personal values and beliefs about how they spend their time and how they want control over their care.

Nurses must be sensitive to the variety of preferences their patients with advanced cancer may have for engagement in decisions regarding treatment, care management, and activities of daily life.