International journal of nursing studies · 2026
How nurses in China navigate end-of-life communication: A qualitative study.
СтатьяНазвание и аннотация: Перевод в очереди
Обработка статьи · этапы, ошибки и управление
Загрузка состояния…
Ошибки и ограничения
История · было → стало
Состояние обновляется каждые 5 секунд, пока блок открыт. Процент показывается только там, где известен объём работы. Пауза останавливает продолжение этапа; текущий запрос к источнику может завершиться.
Pei Chengcheng, Wang Jiaxin, Wang Jingcheng, Gu Xinyue, Zhao Hongyu, Geng Jinyang, Hegarty Josephine, Zhu Pingting
Аннотация
BACKGROUND: End-of-life communication involves navigating diverse beliefs, values and expectations while supporting individuals and families during a highly vulnerable and emotionally charged stage of life. In China, where family-centred decision-making and taboos surrounding death are still common, nurses face distinctive challenges in navigating these conversations.
OBJECTIVE: To explore and describe how experienced registered nurses learned and adapted to engaging in end-of-life communication within the Chinese cultural context, drawing on their retrospective accounts.
DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study design.
SETTING: Three large public tertiary hospitals (Grade A) in Jiangsu Province, China.
PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-six registered nurses (age range, 26-45 years; 20 [76.9%] female; clinical experience, 6-20 years) were recruited through purposive sampling, supplemented by snowball sampling.
METHODS: Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted between June and August 2025, and data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis supported by NVivo 12 software.
RESULTS: Four themes were developed, including: (1) Hesitant beginnings: early dilemmas in end-of-life communication; (2) Ongoing transformation: learning through accumulated experiences; (3) Mediating practices: reconciling cultural expectations, ethical responsibilities and patient-centred communication; and (4) Empathic realism: balancing emotional engagement and professional boundaries.
CONCLUSIONS: Nurses working in tertiary hospitals in eastern China described an evolving, not always linear process of learning to navigate end-of-life communication, shifting from hesitant and culturally constrained interactions towards more balanced approaches. Nurses' cumulative experiences supported their professional growth. However, targeted education, alongside organisational and policy-level support, remains essential to promote effective and culturally sensitive end-of-life communication.
OBJECTIVE: To explore and describe how experienced registered nurses learned and adapted to engaging in end-of-life communication within the Chinese cultural context, drawing on their retrospective accounts.
DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study design.
SETTING: Three large public tertiary hospitals (Grade A) in Jiangsu Province, China.
PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-six registered nurses (age range, 26-45 years; 20 [76.9%] female; clinical experience, 6-20 years) were recruited through purposive sampling, supplemented by snowball sampling.
METHODS: Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted between June and August 2025, and data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis supported by NVivo 12 software.
RESULTS: Four themes were developed, including: (1) Hesitant beginnings: early dilemmas in end-of-life communication; (2) Ongoing transformation: learning through accumulated experiences; (3) Mediating practices: reconciling cultural expectations, ethical responsibilities and patient-centred communication; and (4) Empathic realism: balancing emotional engagement and professional boundaries.
CONCLUSIONS: Nurses working in tertiary hospitals in eastern China described an evolving, not always linear process of learning to navigate end-of-life communication, shifting from hesitant and culturally constrained interactions towards more balanced approaches. Nurses' cumulative experiences supported their professional growth. However, targeted education, alongside organisational and policy-level support, remains essential to promote effective and culturally sensitive end-of-life communication.