Residents who are terminally ill often experience transfers to the emergency department resulting in hospitalizations, which may be potentially avoidable with treatment in the nursing home. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of 15 residents, 10 family members, and 20 nursing home staff regarding end-of-life care and the circumstances prompting resident transfers. Data analysis of participant interviews conducted January to May 2019 in a South Florida nursing home identified four themes related to transfer to the hospital: time left to live, when aggressive treatments would be unavailing, not knowing what the nursing home can do, and transfer decisions are situation-dependent. Study findings underscore the importance of increasing resident and family awareness of treatments available in the nursing home and person-centered advance care planning discussions. Further research should explore the reasons for residents’ and family members’ choice of aggressive therapies and their goals for care at the end of life.

身患绝症的居民经常会被转移到急诊室导致住院，而在疗养院接受治疗可能可以避免这种情况。这项定性研究探讨了 15 名居民、10 名家庭成员和 20 名疗养院工作人员对临终关怀和促使居民转移的情况的看法。对 2019 年 1 月至 5 月在南佛罗里达疗养院进行的参与者访谈的数据分析确定了与转移到医院相关的四个主题：剩余时间、积极治疗无效时、不知道疗养院可以做什么以及转移决定视情况而定。研究结果强调了在疗养院和以人为本的预先护理计划讨论中提高居民和家庭对可用治疗的认识的重要性。进一步的研究应该探索居民和家庭成员选择积极治疗的原因以及他们在生命终结时的护理目标。