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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. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2025-08-14
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The 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. Surrogate 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
Key findings
- The 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.
Why it matters
This qualitative study describes how decisions about end-of-life care are made for people with dementia in long-term care hospitals, and finds the process complex and challenging for staff. It does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Advanced Nursing) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Advanced Nursing: journal h-index 262 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Sang Suk Kim: h-index 24 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Chung-Ang University: institution h-index 325 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40814012) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1111/jan.70136
- PubMed: 40814012
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Advanced Nursing →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Kim, H., Cho, J., Park, J., & Kim, S. S. (2025). Surrogate Decision‐Making Practices Regarding End‐of‐Life Care for People With Dementia in Long‐Term Care Hospitals: A Qualitative Descriptive Study. Journal of Advanced Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.70136
Vancouver
Kim H, Cho J, Park J, Kim SS. Surrogate Decision‐Making Practices Regarding End‐of‐Life Care for People With Dementia in Long‐Term Care Hospitals: A Qualitative Descriptive Study. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2025. doi:10.1111/jan.70136. PMID: 40814012.
BibTeX
@article{kim2025-40814012,
author = {Kim, Hyejin and Cho, Jeonghyun and Park, Jongsun and Kim, Sang Suk},
title = {{Surrogate Decision‐Making Practices Regarding End‐of‐Life Care for People With Dementia in Long‐Term Care Hospitals: A Qualitative Descriptive Study}},
journal = {Journal of Advanced Nursing},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1111/jan.70136},
pmid = {40814012},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.70136}
}
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