• Renea L Beckstrand, Joan Collette, Lynn Callister, and Karlen E Luthy.
• College of Nursing, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA. renea@byu.edu
• Oncol Nurs Forum. 2012 Sep 1;39(5):E398-406.

Purpose/ObjectivesTo determine the impact of obstacles and supportive behaviors in end-of-life (EOL) care as perceived by hospital-based oncology nurses.DesignA 69-item mailed survey.SettingNational random sample.Sample1,005 nurse members of the Oncology Nursing Society who had provided EOL care for patients with cancer.MethodsThree mailings yielded 380 usable responses from 912 eligible respondents, resulting in a 42% return rate.Main Research VariablesSize and frequency of EOL care obstacles and supportive behaviors for patients with cancer in a hospital setting.FindingsResults of this research demonstrate the need for more EOL education and help in forming teams of nurses, social and palliative care workers, and physicians to support high-quality care. Another finding was the need for other nurses at a facility to give the nurse caring for the dying patient more time to support the patient and family.ConclusionsDealing with the family is vital in providing optimal EOL care to patients dying from cancer. By carefully listening to the experience, concerns, and recommendations of hospital-based oncology nurses, compassionate EOL care can be provided to these patients and their families.Implications For NursingOncology nurses are dedicated to providing the best EOL care to their patients and patients' families. This study helped to identify research-based obstacles and supportive behaviors regarding the provision of high-quality EOL care.

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