Incorporating spiritual beliefs into end-of-life care.

摘要

Nvrses and other healthcare providers identify end-of-life (EOL) decision making as the most frequent ethical dilemma faced in care of the critically ill (Oberle & Hughes, 2001; Svantesson, Sjokvist,Thorsen, & Ahlstrom, 2006). In EOL care (EOLC), during which resuscitative efforts may be futile or against the wishes of the patient or surrogate, inappropriate prolongation of life can violate patient dignity and inordinately affect limited resources. The administration of "aggressive care," when the patient is not expected to benefit from that care, produces the highest level of moral distress for critical care staff nurses (Elpern,2005).