Refinement of an Emergency Department-Based, Advance Care Planning Intervention for Nurses.

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Most older adults visit the emergency department (ED) near the end of life without advance care planning (ACP) and thus are at risk of receiving care that does not align with their wishes and values. <i>ED GOAL</i> is a behavioral intervention administered by ED clinicians, which is designed to engage seriously ill older adults in serious illness conversations in the ED. Seriously ill older adults found it acceptable in the ED. However, its potential to be used by nurses remains unclear. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this study is to identify refinements to adapt an ED-based ACP intervention by eliciting the perspectives of nurses. <b><i>Design:</i></b> This is a qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using axial coding methods. <b><i>Setting/Subjects:</i></b> We recruited a purposeful sample of ED nurses in one urban academic ED and one urban community ED in the northeastern region of the United States. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Twenty-five nurses were interviewed (mean age 46 years, 84% female, and mean clinical experience of 16 years). Emerging themes were identified within six domains: (1) nurses' prior experience with serious illness conversations, (2) overall impression of <i>ED GOAL</i>, (3) refinements to <i>ED GOAL</i>, (4) implementation of <i>ED GOAL</i> by ED nurses, (5) specially trained nursing model, and (6) use of telehealth with <i>ED GOAL</i>. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> ED nurses were generally supportive of using <i>ED GOAL</i> and provided insight into how to best adapt and implement it in their clinical practice. Empirical evidence for adapting <i>ED GOAL</i> to the nursing practice remains to be seen.