Continuity of Care During End of Life: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the concept of continuity of care during the end of life with a focus on the patient’s perspective. METHODS: Rodgers’ method of evolutionary concept analysis was used. The analysis was based on literature published in English in the databases Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline, and PsycINFO. FINDINGS: Analysis revealed that the continuity at life’s end is a dynamic process that depends on the interaction among patients, families, and providers, and is strictly interwoven with the patient’s time perception. CONCLUSION: This analysis showed the complexities surrounding the patient’s experience of continuity at life’s end. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING: Nurses can benefit from a deeper understanding of the patient’s experience, both theoretically and in practice.