Understanding of advance care planning by family members of persons undergoing hemodialysis

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore hemodialysis patients' family members' understanding of end-of-life decision-making processes. The project aimed to address (a) family members' constructions of advance care planning (ACP), including their roles and resp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inWestern journal of nursing research Vol. 36; no. 10; p. 1357
Main Authors Calvin, Amy O, Engebretson, Joan C, Sardual, S Alexander
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.11.2014
Subjects
Adult
Advance Care Planning - utilization
Aged
Comprehension
Decision Making
Family - psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Qualitative Research
Renal Dialysis - psychology
family members
hemodialysis
qualitative research
advance care planning
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Summary:The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore hemodialysis patients' family members' understanding of end-of-life decision-making processes. The project aimed to address (a) family members' constructions of advance care planning (ACP), including their roles and responsibilities, and (b) family members' perceptions of health care providers' roles and responsibilities in ACP. Eighteen family members of persons undergoing hemodialysis were recruited primarily from outpatient dialysis facilities and interviewed individually. Confirmed transcript data were analyzed, coded, and compared, and categories were established. Interpretations were validated throughout the interviews and peer debriefing sessions were used at a later stage in the analysis. The overarching construct identified was one of Protection. Family members protect patients by (a) Sharing Burdens, (b) Normalizing Life, and (c) Personalizing Care. Recommendations for future research include the need to explore ACP of persons undergoing hemodialysis who do not have a family support system.
ISSN:1552-8456
DOI:10.1177/0193945913514637