End of life and dignity: an integrative review

Abstract This article aimed to explore the meanings of dignity at the end of life from the perspective of health professionals and to identify care actions that promote it. An integrative review was conducted between March and April 2022, with nine articles selected from databases, all published since 2012. The results indicated that dignity is related to valuing autonomy and that the conduct of health professionals, the care environment, and therapies involving invasive treatments influence its promotion. Among the actions taken by care professionals to foster dignity, the use of tools such as the Patient Dignity Inventory in care planning was highlighted. The conclusion is that health professionals play a key role in promoting autonomy—a fundamental element of dignity for people who are ill—and that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors should be considered when planning care to ensure a good death.