[Not Available].

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Healthcare Administration
• Palliative Care

Background:

• Quebec healthcare settings utilize "levels of care" (LOC) forms for patient code status and end-of-life care planning.
• The effectiveness of LOC in facilitating treatment decisions and resuscitation measures for patients and staff remains unclear.
• There is a lack of published research on LOC, especially within Quebec and Canada.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a literature review to clarify the concept and application of levels of care (LOC).
• To explore the role of LOC in end-of-life care planning and decision-making processes.
• To identify themes related to LOC, including end-of-life care, do-not-resuscitate orders, treatment withdrawal, and decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of relevant articles.
• Thematic analysis of selected literature.
• Synthesis of findings pertinent to levels of care.

Main Results:

• Identified key themes associated with levels of care.
• Highlighted the importance of LOC in end-of-life care discussions.
• Underscored the need for further research on LOC effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Levels of care are utilized in Quebec but their impact requires further investigation.
• Clarifying LOC is crucial for improving end-of-life care planning and decision-making.
• This review provides a foundation for future research on levels of care in Canadian healthcare settings.