Advanced Care Planning/Five Wishes Education Through the Lens of Caring Science

Advance care planning (ACP) is central to holistic, patient-centered care, yet ACP conversations are emotionally sensitive and often avoided. Caring Science may foster an environment of loving-kindness that supports comfort and engagement while giving nursing students practice in facilitating end-of-life discussions.

Graduate nursing students facilitated Caring Science-guided ACP sessions using Five Wishes. Community adults (N = 83) completed a postsession survey measuring perception of loving-kindness, understanding of advance directives and end-of-life care, ACP status, and interest in completing Five Wishes.

95.8% of respondents perceived loving-kindness. Participants with shared wishes reported higher confidence that they would be followed (96.6%) than those without (52.6%). Interest in completing Five Wishes was higher among those not confident (45.5%) than those confident (37.3%).

A Caring Science-guided, student-led ACP session was associated with high perceived loving-kindness, with responses suggesting ACP status may relate to confidence in wishes being followed.