Palliative care and end-of-life quality indicators in critical patients in ICU: systematic review protocol

Introduction Palliative and end-of-life care in the intensive care unit (ICU) is crucial for improving the quality of life of critically ill patients. However, no consensus exists on the most effective quality indicators (QIs) for assessing this care. This systematic review aims to identify and analyse the characteristics of QIs used in palliative and end-of-life care for ICU patients. Methods and analysis The Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis 2020 guidelines will conduct this systematic review to ensure methodological transparency and rigour. A comprehensive literature search will be conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Google Scholar, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect and BASE. Studies published up to 30 March 2025, will be included. The quality of indicators will be assessed using the appraisal of indicators through research and evaluation tool, and the characteristics of QIs will be analysed using the Donabedian model of quality. Data synthesis will include thematic analysis. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is not required as this study does not involve human participants. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.