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Background Previous research has focused on physician's perspectives of end-of-life ( EOL) decision making as well as patient and family EOL decision making. There is a lack of research pertaining to the EOL treatment preferences of nurses and especially nurses working in a variety of care settings. Aim The aim of this study was to compare nurses' EOL treatment preferences in Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy and the USA. Methods A comparative descriptive design was used with a convenience sample of nurses (n = 1089). A survey questionnaire using EOL hypothetical clinical case scenarios was used to collect data between June 2011 and July 2012. Results Nurses in every country consistently chose a more aggressive option for patients than for themselves or for a parent. The treatment preferences of nurses varied from country to country. Lack of knowledge of patients' wishes and duty of care were the main influencing factors on treatment preferences. Study Limitations The study was limited to the hypothetical nature of the scenarios; however, the study highlights numerous future research questions. Conclusions This study is the first to examine and compare nurses' preferred EOL treatment choices in five countries from three different continents. The findings of this study raise several important questions for healthcare researchers, for policy development, and highlight the need for further international collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastocytosis is a neoplasm characterized by an accumulation of mast cells in various organs and increased risk for severe anaphylaxis in patients with concomitant allergies. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic that is associated with a relatively high rate of severe lung disease and mortality. The mortality is particularly high in those with certain comorbidities and increases with age. Recently, several companies have developed an effective vaccination against COVID-19. Although the reported frequency of severe side effects is low, there is an emerging discussion about the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with severe allergies and mastocytosis. However, even in these patients, severe adverse reactions are rare. We therefore recommend the broad use of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with mastocytosis on a global basis. The only well-established exception is a known or suspected allergy against a constituent of the vaccine. Safety measures, including premedication and postvaccination observation, should be considered in all patients with mastocytosis, depending on the individual personal risk and overall situation in each case. The current article provides a summary of published data, observations, and expert opinion that form the basis of these recommendations., (Copyright © 2021 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)