Authors : Dr. Wafia S. Sajili

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/yzaanexb

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3j7u7v54

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun629

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Providing competent end-of-life (EOL) care is highly challenging for nurses due to diverging ethno-cultural values between healthcare providers and patients. While Western biomedical frameworks prioritize individual autonomy and explicit truth-telling, Asian healthcare contexts are deeply rooted in collectivism, family-centered decision-making, and strong religiosity. This narrative review synthesizes current literature to identify the primary cultural barriers, communication challenges, and gaps in delivering culturally responsive EOL nursing care to Asian populations. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed articles published between January 2010 and October 2025. Employing a researcher-modified PRISMA framework and Boolean search strategies, 679 initial records were screened based on strict inclusion/exclusion criteria. Ultimately, 23 highly relevant articles were retained for qualitative synthesis and thematic evaluation. The synthesis revealed three major thematic barriers: (1) Decision-Making Conflicts (2) Religious and Spiritual Influences; and (3)Communication Gaps. Asian nurses operate as frontline cultural mediators, facing persistent moral distress as they balance rigid Western-centric institutional policies against family-centered cultural expectations. To bridge this gap, healthcare systems must integrate culturally competent communication models into nursing curricula and establish institutional frameworks that support nurses navigating complex ethical and spiritual boundaries at the end of life.

Keywords : Asian Populations, Cultural Competence, End-of-Life Nursing Care, Palliative Nursing.

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