Abstract: Objective: To investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of nurses at geriatric units toward advanced care planning, and analyze the corresponding influencing factors. Methods: 191 nurses working in geriatric wards of 5 tertiary hospitals and a geriatric specialized hospital were investigated by a self-designed questionnaire. Results: The average accuracy of nurses' knowledge about advanced care planning was 84.0%, and those who had experienced bereavement and received related training shown better knowledge (P<0.05). The average score of respondents' attitude toward advanced care planning was (4.16±0.56). The attitudes of those nurses with higher professional titles and nurses who took care of the dying patients were more active (P<0.05). The average score of behaviors of respondents was (2.73±0.90). And nurses who worked in geriatric wards being geriatric specialty training bases and nurses who had received relevant training scored higher in their behaviors. Conclusion: Nurses working in the geriatric wards have a relatively good master of the advanced care planning knowledge, for which, however, further improvement remains necessary. Positive as nurses' attitudes are,fewer advanced care planning behaviors are carried out in their practical work.

Key words: nurses working in geriatric wards; advanced care planning; knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP)