台灣於2000年6月立法通過「安寧緩和醫療條例」，至今各式安寧緩和療護相關計畫陸續推動，但「生命末期」確切涵義不清，加上末期疾病預後的不確定性及缺乏有關末期疾病有效治療的證據，皆造成末期醫療決策困難。透過文獻搜索，以釐清「生命末期」的中英文定義。運用PubMed、CINAHL、Medline、Google Scholar、華藝線上圖書館，以關鍵字End of life、Terminally ill，合併Definition、Concept，搜尋2004至2019年發表的文章，並對這些文章進行概念化及定義查檢。由兩名研究人員對每篇文章進行審查後，最後篩選出共7篇文獻，另有3篇文獻是於檢索時發現有其關聯性故一併納入。除此之外，還搜索了國語辭典、組織網站(SPICT-SUPPORTIVE AND PALLIATIVE CARE INFICATORS TOOL)，並額外將現行法規納入。除我國中央健保署列舉之癌症末期、末期運動神經元病人及八大非癌症末期病人之外，亦可以Surprise Question、SPICT及Salpeter評估工具等篩選末期病人；而「末期」係為病人死亡前的最後一段時間，近期內病程進行至死亡已不可避免，而7篇文章指出末期預期存活時間為三個月內至一年內不等。臨床上面對生命末期決策，當病人、家屬和醫療團隊之間有認知與執行上的矛盾時，易忽略病人自主、增加家屬或醫療人員心理負擔及造成醫療資源使用不當，故將「生命末期」定義標準、概念化有助於改善醫療團隊和決策者間的溝通。

In June 2000, the Hospice Palliative Care Act was passed in Taiwan. Since then, various programs related to palliative care have been initiated, but the precise meaning of “end of life” remains unclear. In addition, the uncertainty of terminal prognosis and a lack of evidence for effective treatment of terminal diseases result in difficult decision making in terminal medical care. To conduct a literature search to clarify the Chinese and English definitions of “end of life.” The keywords “end of life” and “terminally ill” with definition and concept were used to search articles published between 2004 and 2019 on PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, Google Scholar, and Airity Library. The articles were conceptualized and examined for definitions. Each was examined by two researchers, and seven studies were selected. Three additional studies were located in relation to the search and included. A Chinese dictionary and the SPICT-SUPPORTIVE AND PALLIATIVE CARE INFICATORS TOOL were also searched, and current regulations were included. Aside from patients with terminal cancer, terminal motor neuron disease, and the eight major non-cancer terminal diseases identified by the National Health Insurance Administration, the evaluation tools Surprise Question, SPICT, and Salpeter can be used to identify terminal patients. The “end of life” is the last period before a patient dies, and the disease has progressed to the point where death is inevitable. The seven articles indicated that the estimated survival time at the final stage is from 3 months to 1 year. In clinical end-of-life decisions, when patients, family members, and medical teams have disagreements over their opinions on and choices of medical treatments, patient autonomy is often neglected. In addition, the psychological load on family members and medical personnel is increased, and medical resources are used improperly. Consequently, defining and conceptualizing “end of life” is beneficial to improving communication between medical teams and decision makers.