Objective To integrate the existing qualitative research on experiences of surrogate decision-makers(SDM)in making life support decisions for the critically ill,to explore their common experiences and to provide reference for targeted intervention.Me-thods A systematic search was conducted in databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),WanFang Data-base,VIP Database,SinoMed,PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,PsycINFO,and CINAHL for studies regarding the expe-riences of SDM in making life support decisions for the critically ill,from database inception until November 2023.Quality of the included studies was evaluated,and the meta-integration method was used to explain and integrate the research findings.Results A total of 12 articles were included in the study,from which 42 results were extracted and summarized into 11 categories.These cate-gories were further synthesized into four integrated themes:the challenging decision-making process,complex emotional feelings,diverse decision-making needs,and end-of-life care considerations.Conclusion SDM of critically ill patients face multifaceted deci-sion-making challenges.It is recommended that healthcare providers increase attention to SDM,develop comprehensive support strategies,enhance their ability to cope with life support decisions,and ultimately alleviate their emotional stress.
维普
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