Healthcare professionals' experiences of advance care planning conversations with frail older adults admitted to acute geriatric hospital units: a nested qualitative study.

BACKGROUND

Advance care planning can support frail older adults, their next of kin, and healthcare professionals by clarifying patients' values and preferences and improving communication toward the end of life. Despite these benefits, advance care planning remains underutilized, particularly among frail older adults with complex needs. Limited research has explored healthcare professionals' experiences with initiating it in acute geriatric settings. As part of a broader research project focused on implementing advance care planning for older adults admitted to acute geriatric hospital units, this study aimed to explore healthcare professionals' experiences with initiating these conversations.

METHODS

A qualitative sub-study, nested within a cluster randomized controlled trial, was conducted with implementation teams and other healthcare professionals from the six geriatric units in the intervention arm. They had recently started engaging in advance care planning with frail, acutely ill older patients and their next of kin. Data were collected through four focus groups and four dyadic interviews, involving a total of 24 participants. The data was analysed by using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes developed as perceived benefits: (1) Amplifies the patients' voice, (2) Improves communication with next of kin, (3) Influences treatment decisions and may avoid overtreatment (4) Contributes to meaningful work. Two themes developed as perceived challenges: (1) Uncertainty regarding the ACP documentation, (2) ACP conversations require dedicated time and focus.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that advance care planning conversations in acute geriatric hospital units can amplify patients' voices and promote their participation in decision-making. Discussions about existential topics appear beneficial and rewarding for patients, next of kin and healthcare professionals, both for in-moment and future decisions. Time constraints may have led to missed opportunities to initiate ACP conversations with patients before the end of life, while documentation issues may have limited their impact on continuity of care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05681585. Registered 03.01.23.