KMID : 0856920120150030147
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Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care 2012 Volume.15 No. 3 p.147 ~ p.154
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Family Decision-Making to Withdraw Life-Sustaining Treatment for Terminally-Ill Patients in an Unconscious State
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Kim Myung-Hee
Kang Eun-Hee Kim Mi-Young
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Abstract
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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand family members¡¯ experience of deciding to withdraw life-sustaining treatments for terminally-ill patients in an unconscious state.
Methods: Data were collected by performing an in-depth interview with eight terminally-ill patients¡¯ family members who decided to withdraw life-sustaining treatments. Colaizzi¡¯s phenomenological method was used for data analysis.
Results: Questions were classified into 12 groups and finally into five categories. The five categories were about family members¡¯ frustration with patient¡¯s condition, emotional preparation for the patient¡¯s death upon medical professionals¡¯ recommendation, patient¡¯s wishes, exhaustion due to caring and past experiences related to life-sustaining treatment.
Conclusion: Using the five categories, hospice and palliative professionals could better understand family members¡¯ decision making experience of withdrawing life-sustaining treatments for terminally-ill patients. Based on that, the family members could be provided with appropriate counseling and care, which in turn could improve hospice and palliative care intervention.
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KEYWORD
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Terminally ill, Family, Withholding treatment, Qualitative research
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