Since most patients desire that they and their families have at least some input into end-of-life decisions Davison and Degner recommend that the nurse next focus on identifying the patient's and families' goals and values, as well as their understanding of the possibilities and results of the use of life-sustaining
technologies at the end of life. The nurse might begin such a discussion by saying "I want you to imagine that you were diagnosed as having a terminal illness. By that I mean you were dying from the illness and would not be likely to get better no matter what treatment your doctor prescribed. What would matter to you: how would you like to be cared for at that time?"