Table 2 Included studies

Almack et al. (2012)

England

Exploratory case study

Qualitative

To explore the factors influencing if, when and how EOL communication takes place between healthcare professionals, older people, and family caregivers from the perspectives of all parties involved and how preferences are discussed and recorded.

Hospital

Home care

Nursing home

GP practice service

Older people with and without a cancer diagnosis (n = 18) and family caregivers (n = 11) and healthcare professionals (nursing staff n = 8, 53%)

X

X

Groebe et al. (2019)

Germany

Focus group study

Qualitative

To give insights into specific requirements and conditions for EOL conversations in various EOL care settings.

Hospital

Home care

Nursing home

Volunteers and nursing staff (n = 11, 61%) and psychosocial care

X

Hjorth et al. (2018)

Norway

Focus group study

Qualitative

To explore the needs and preferences of older people with pulmonary diseases regarding ACP to prepare for the introduction of ACP in Norwegian hospitals.

Hospital

Older people receiving treatment for advanced lung cancer, COPD, or lung fibrosis (n = 13)

X

Isaacson et al. (2018)

United States

Interview study

Qualitative

To understand the shared communication practices of rural and urban, hospice/palliative care nursing staff when engaging older people with a terminal diagnosis and their family caregivers about decision-making.

Hospital

Home care

Nursing home

Hospice house

Hospice/palliative care nursing staff (n = 10)

X

Kerr et al. (2019)

Australia

Focus group study

Qualitative

To identify challenges for nursing staff when communicating with people who have life limiting illness, and their family caregivers.

Hospital

Nursing staff (n = 39)

X

Kimura et al. (2020)

Japan

Cross-sectional survey study

Quantitative

To identify barriers to EOL discussions with older people with an advanced cancer diagnosis and their family caregivers as perceived by oncologists, nursing staff, and medical social workers, as well as to clarify effective strategies to facilitate EOL discussions.

Hospital

Physicians, nursing staff (n = 993 (53%)*), and medical social workers

X

Reinke et al. (2010a)

United States

Interview study

Qualitative

To examine nursing staff perspectives on meeting older people’s needs for hope and illness information and to offer insights for interventions designed to improve EOL communication for older people and their family caregivers.

Outpatient setting

Nursing staff (n = 22)

X

Reinke et al. (2010b)

United States

Cross-sectional survey study

Quantitative

To identify nursing staff perspectives on nursing skills that are important yet under-utilized in EOL care.

Hospital

Hospice (in-patient, outpatient, and home care)

Outpatient clinic

Nursing staff (n = 717)

X

You et al. (2014)

Canada

Structured interview study

Quantitative

To determine which of the guideline-recommended fundamentals to include in discussions about goals of care are most important to older people with serious illness and their family caregivers.

Hospital

Older people (n = 233) and their family caregivers (n = 205)

X