<Short Report>Meaning of existence of the family for terminally ill patients

概要

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The purpose of this study was to clarify the significance meaning of the family existence for terminally ill patients, because nursing for the family of terminally ill patients is important. "Terminally ill patients" in this study refer to those whose remaining life expectancy is less than six months. The subjects were eight terminally ill patients with cancer and hospitalized in a general hospital with palliative care. The subjects were given permission by their doctors and nurses to receive an interview and also gave a prior consent to the researchers for it. Semi-structural interviews were conducted individually, collecting data of the patients' feelings and thoughts. The patients words were tape-recorded and later transcribed. These data were then analyzed for extracting relevant words and then categorized according to themes. As a result, we found two major themes : "emotional support" and "strength against the disease". The patients explained that their families not only provided physical and psychological support but also lived their life with the disease together. Nursing for the family is just as important as nursing for patients themselves.
山口県立大学の論文