BACKGROUND: Life-sustaining treatments are increasingly used in intensive care units (ICUs) for EOL care, but the decision to use these may cause ethical issues. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the views and practices of critical care nurses in Turkey on the end-of-life (EOL) care. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: The research was conducted in 32 second- and third-level ICUs of 19 Ministry of Health research hospitals in Turkey. The Views of European Nurses in Intensive Care on EOL Care tool was used for data collection. RESULTS: The total sample size was 602. While half of the nurses stated that the withholding and withdrawal of life support were ethically different decisions, 40% felt both decisions were unethical. The expected quality of life as viewed by the patient, the medical team, the family and the nursing team (90·4%, 85·4%, and 83·4%, respectively) was an important factor in EOL decision making. The majority of the nurses (75·7%) were not directly involved in the EOL decision making and 78·4% of nurses were committed to family involvement in EOL decisions. When withdrawing treatment, 87·2% of ICU nurses agreed that the patient and family members should perform their final religious and spiritual duties. Further results showed that after withdrawing treatment, a majority of nurses (86%) agreed to continue pressure sore prevention, effective pain relief (85·5%), nutritional support (77·6%) and hydration (64·8%). Almost half (48·2%) indicated that keeping the patients in the ICU was unnecessary. CONCLUSION: ICU nurses expressed a range of experiences and practices regarding EOL care. ICU nurses should be more involved in the decision-making process about EOL care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Due to their unique relationship with patients, nurses should be involved in EOL care decision making; however, patients, families or nurses are not often involved in the decision-making process in Turkey.