title: Nurse executives' perceptions of end-of-life care provided in hospitals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the aging of our population, almost one in five adults, or 19% of the population, will be older than 65 years by 2030. Many persons have expressed concern about the inadequate preparation of hospitals to provide high-value end-of-life care for the current and anticipated population of older adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of nurse executives about the provision of end-of-life care in the hospital setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a pilot, descriptive, naturalistic, qualitative study using in-person interviews to capture nurse executives' understandings, beliefs, and perceptions of end-of-life care in their facilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were collected from 10 nurse executives. We identified five major factors, three barriers and two facilitators, in their descriptions of provision of end-of-life care provided in the hospital: 1) communication inadequacies, 2) education inadequacies, 3) hospital system constraints, 4) hospice services availability, and 5) nurse executive advocacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings highlight the need for interventions that focus on improving communication at the bedside and in transitions of care, enhancing educational interventions, and developing patient-centered care systems, which translate into a higher quality end-of-life experience for patients and their family members. Nurse executives are currently an underused resource in end-of-life care but are poised to be able to champion innovative models and a culture of change that integrates high-value care for patients with serious and chronic illnesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, Arkansas 72214, USA. kimberly.garner@va.gov
authors.forename: Kimberly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Garner
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Jean C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: McSweeney
authors.forename: Joann E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kirchner
mesh_terms: D001131:Arkansas; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*