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.