In 2003, Taiwan's nurses were terrified by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and four of them sacrificed their life in the course of their work with SARS patients. This study attempted to identify the stage-specific difficulties encountered by Taiwan's surviving frontline nurses during the anti-SARS process. A two-step within-method qualitative triangulation research design was used to obtain the in-depth and confidential thoughts of 200 participants during the precaring, tangible caring, and postcaring stages. Six major types of stage-specific difficulties with and threats to the quality of care of SARS patients were identified according to each specific stage of the caring process. Four themes were further explored; these are discussed to provide a background context in obtaining better understanding of the multifaceted needs of nurses during this crisis. Consequently, a conceptual framework was developed to depict this complex phenomenon.

Identification of the main factors and conditions contributing to medication errors allows clinical nurses and administration systems to eliminate situations that promote errors and to incorporate changes that minimize them, creating a safer patient environment.

The knowledge gained in this study and the six major spiritual care actions identified may empower oncology nurse educators to develop culturally valid spiritual care courses. Research-based guidance for nurse clinicians who are taking care of older Taiwanese patients with terminal cancer will be provided.

According to traditional Chinese custom, women should be confined to home and assisted with tasks for 1 month after giving birth to a child. This restrictive regimen is referred to as doing-the-month. The objectives of this study were to describe adherence to doing-the-month practices and to explore the association between adherence to doing-the-month practices and physical symptoms and depression among postpartum women in Taiwan. Participants were 202 women at 4-6 weeks after delivery. Adherence to doing-the-month practices was associated with lower severity of physical symptoms and lower odds of postnatal depression, after adjustment for potential confounders. Adherence to doing-the-month practices was associated with better health status among postpartum women in Taiwan.

Background: The concept of advance care planning is largely derived from Western countries. However, the decision-making process and drivers for choosing palliative care in non-Western cultures have received little attention. Aim: To explore the decision-making processes and drivers of receiving palliative care in advance care planning discussions from perspectives of advanced cancer patients, families and healthcare professionals in northern Taiwan. Method: Semi-structured qualitative interviews with advanced cancer patients, their families and healthcare professionals independently from inpatient oncology and hospice units. Thematic analysis with analytical rigour enhanced by dual coding and exploration of divergent views. Results: Forty-five participants were interviewed ( n = 15 from each group). Three main decision-making trajectories were identified: (1) ‘choose palliative care’ was associated with patients’ desire to reduce physical suffering from treatments, avoid being a burden to families and society, reduce futile treatments and donate organs to help others; (2) ‘decline palliative care’ was associated with patients weighing up perceived benefits to others as more important than benefits for themselves; and (3) ‘no opportunity to choose palliative care’ was associated with lack of opportunities to discuss potential benefits of palliative care, lack of staff skill in end-of-life communication, and cultural factors, notably filial piety. Conclusion: Choice for palliative care among advanced cancer patients in Taiwan is influenced by three decision-making trajectories. Opinions from families are highly influential, and patients often lack information on palliative care options. Strategies to facilitate decision-making require staff confidence in end-of-life discussions, working with the patients and their family while respecting the influence of filial piety.