The purpose of this hermeneutic study was to investigate the meaning of “good dying” of Chinese terminally ill cancer patients in Taiwan; the factors related to this meaning; and the strategies cancer patients used to ensure “good dying”. In- depth unstructured interviews, prolonged participant observations, and review of clinical records were selected as the methods for data collection. In the four and one-half month period of data collection, the researcher was in the role of a full time clinical nurse specialist who directly took care of the subject patients in 4 hospitals and in patients’ homes. The 20 subjects were selected purposively according to selection criteria and various demographic backgrounds. Interview transcripts and field notes comprised the data for analysis.
The results were composed by 3 constitutive patterns and 12 themes. Achieving inner peace appeared to herald the good dying state. The “good dying” for Chinese terminally ill cancer patients in Taiwan meant peace of body, peace of mind, and peace of thought. The constitutive pattern of peace of body included 4 themes: (1)minimizing the agony of physical symptoms; (2)short period of dying process without lingering death; (3) cleanliness, neatness, and integrity of the body; and (4) mobility. The constitutive pattern of peace of mind included 5 themes: (1) yielding; (2) non-attachment; (3) not to be lonely; (4) settle down all affairs; and (5) being in a preferred environment and enjoying nature. The third constitutive pattern of peace of thought included 3 themes: (1) getting through day by day without thinking; (2) meaningful life; and (3) expectation that the suffering would be ending.
Through understanding of the terminally ill cancer patients’ needs in their meanings of “good dying”, recommendations can be made for humanistic care. The findings of this study have recommendations for care givers daily contact with dying patients and for medical and nursing education.
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