Table 3:

Summary of wishes from the 3 Wishes Project

CharacteristicNo. (%) of wishes
n = 483
Wish category
 Family care60 (12.4)
 Family connections50 (10.4)
 Rituals and spiritual support50 (10.4)
 Preparations and final arrangements41 (8.5)
 Humanizing the patient26 (5.4)
 Celebrations5 (1.0)
 Humanizing the environment90 (18.6)
 Keepsakes and tributes90 (18.6)
 Music55 (11.4)
 Word clouds12 (2.5)
 Paying it forward2 (0.4)
 Organ and tissue donation2 (0.4)
Who made the wish*
 Patient30 (6.2)
 Family236 (48.9)
 Intensive care unit238 (49.3)
 3WP team0 (0.0)
 Other (friends, Trillium Gift of Life Network staff, research staff)14 (2.9)
Wish made
 Antemortem472 (97.7)
 Postmortem11 (2.3)
Wish elicited by*
 Patient7 (1.4)
 Family103 (21.3)
 Intensive care unit363 (75.2)
 3WP team17 (3.5)
 Other (chaplain, friends, Trillium Gift of Life Network staff research staff)13 (2.7)
Wish completed
 Yes479 (99.2)
 No4 (0.8)
  • * More than 1 option can be chosen for a single wish; therefore, total is more than 100%.