Integrating advance care planning into end-of-life education: Nursing students’ reflections on advance health care directive and Five Wishes assignments

Integrating advance care planning into end-of-life education: Nursing students’ reflections on advance health care directive and Five Wishes assignments
Nursing Reports; by Therese Doan, Sumiyo Brennan; 7/25
Advance care planning tools, such as the Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) and Five Wishes, provide experiential learning opportunities [for prelicensure nursing students] that bridge theoretical knowledge with real-world patient advocacy. In this study, students were asked to complete either the AHCD or Five Wishes document as though planning for their own end-of-life care, encouraging personal reflection and professional insight. Students developed critical insights into their personal values, envisioned themselves in EOL scenarios, and reflected on their responsibility as future nurses. The assignment fostered both professional development and personal growth, making it a meaningful experience within the nursing curriculum. By encouraging students to engage personally with end-of-life decisions, the assignment cultivates empathy, ethical reflection, and a readiness to initiate sensitive conversations.