Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40814012›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced nursing2026

Surrogate Decision-Making Practices Regarding End-of-Life Care for People With Dementia in Long-Term Care Hospitals: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Hyejin Kim, Jeonghyun Cho, Jongsun Park, Sang Suk Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Hyejin KimRed Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3001-8095
Jeonghyun ChoCollege of Nursing, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4492-1197
Jongsun ParkRed Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9756-7027
Sang Suk KimRed Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5561-9105

Funding

The National Research Foundation of Korea 2020R1G1A1014085
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo explore surrogate decision-making practices regarding end-of-life care for people with dementia in Korean long-term care hospitals from the perspective of healthcare providers.

designA qualitative descriptive study.

methodsThe data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 24 healthcare providers (physicians, oriental medicine doctors, registered nurses and social workers) involved in dementia end-of-life care in their current long-term care hospitals in South Korea. The data were analysed using a conventional content analytic technique.

resultsThe analysis yielded three categories and nine subcategories describing surrogate decision-making practices regarding end-of-life care for people with dementia: (a) typical circumstances of end-of-life care planning, (b) expected roles of key personnel and related challenges and (c) important considerations. Participants discussed available treatment options within long-term care hospitals and the potential transfers to acute care hospitals during admission and periods of health decline. Physicians typically led such end-of-life care planning, with nurses playing a supportive role and family members making the final decisions. However, they faced challenges in performing their roles. In end-of-life care discussions, participants weighed the patients' autonomy and best interests alongside family members' interests and other external concerns such as potential lawsuits and insufficient medical resources.

conclusionSurrogate decision-making regarding end-of-life care in the context of dementia within long-term care hospitals is considerably complex and challenging for healthcare providers, requiring multifaceted institution-sensitive support. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The study findings suggest the need for targeted education and training to enhance healthcare providers' competencies in end-of-life care discussions, advance care planning and the development of policies and regulations supporting end-of-life care-related practices within long-term care hospitals. REPORTING

methodThis study was reported in accordance with the COREQ checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Indexed as

Decision MakingDementiaFamilyHealth PersonnelLong-Term CareTerminal CareAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchRepublic of Koreadementiaqualitative researchsurrogate decision‐makingterminal care

Identifiers

PMID40814012
PMCPMC13069216

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.