Do end-of-life care pathways improve outcomes in caring for the dying?

Internationally, it is reported that most deaths occur in institutional settings, mainly hospitals and nursing homes.¹ In these facilities, nurses are the professionals who predominantly coordinate and provide care for people in the terminal phase. In the past, dying patients in hospitals received inadequate end-of-life care, specifically symptom control and basic nursing cares.² It was identified that improvements must be made and a holistic approach to end of life care was required to ensure dying people's comfort and dignity.²