A nurse practitioner-led community workshop: Increasing adult participation in advance care planning

Background and purpose: Advance directives (ADs) and advance care planning (ACP) aid in expressing an individual's preferences and guide future medical decision-making. Despite the potential of ADs and ACP to positively impact care, consistently low rates of ADs and ACP (5%-39%) have been documented. The purpose of this project was to increase understanding and participation in the ACP process among rural-dwelling community members. Methods: A pre-post repeated measures design with an evaluation component to measure understanding, completion, discussion, and dissemination of ADs and ACP. A sample of N = 40 were recruited to participate in a one-time nurse practitioner-led Five Wishes workshop delivered in a community setting. Conclusions: Postworkshop evaluations indicated an overall acceptance and understanding of ADs and ACP. Completion rates of ADs and discussion in the ACP process significantly increased at 1-month follow-up. Implications for practice: Nurses and advanced practice nurses are well positioned to educate individuals and facilitate the ACP process. There is a need to educate individuals on importance of sharing their AD wishes with their family and primary care provider. This nurse practitioner-led workshop using the Five Wishes demonstrated the feasibility and potential effectiveness of initiating the ACP process in the community.