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Family members are commonly involved in end-of-life decision making and typically involved in inpatient palliative care consultations. Although much research has documented patient outcomes following inpatient palliative care consultation, little is known about family member perceptions of the consultation.

The purpose of this study was to determine how inpatient palliative care consultations impacted family members’ understanding of the patient’s condition, knowledge of available care options, and decision-making ability.

An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted employing individual interviews among family members of seriously ill patients, recruited purposively. Interviews were conducted in person, at the hospital, or via telephone, using a semistructured protocol.

Family members of seriously ill patients were recruited from a nonprofit, community hospital.