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Family Decision Making in Foregoing Life-Extending Treatments

Family Decision Making in Foregoing Life-Extending Treatments Families generally serve as surrogate decision makers for hospitalized dying patients who are unable to express their own decisions regarding life-prolonging treatments. The authors interviewed family members whose relatives died in the hospital following the withdrawal of aggressive medical treatments. Interviews were at two time periods: at 1 and 6 months post-patient death. Study data indicated a core set of phases which family members experienced in the process of arriving at the decision to withdraw treatment: recognition of futility, coming to terms, shouldering the surrogate role, and facing the question. At 6 months post decision, families reflected on the need for corroborating evidence that they had made the right decision, which the authors term seeking a triangulation of certainty. Advance directives and forthright communication from clinicians were two factors that most helped family members feel more positive about events. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Family Nursing SAGE

Family Decision Making in Foregoing Life-Extending Treatments

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References (25)

Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
Copyright © by SAGE Publications
ISSN
1074-8407
eISSN
1552-549X
DOI
10.1177/107484079900500405
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Families generally serve as surrogate decision makers for hospitalized dying patients who are unable to express their own decisions regarding life-prolonging treatments. The authors interviewed family members whose relatives died in the hospital following the withdrawal of aggressive medical treatments. Interviews were at two time periods: at 1 and 6 months post-patient death. Study data indicated a core set of phases which family members experienced in the process of arriving at the decision to withdraw treatment: recognition of futility, coming to terms, shouldering the surrogate role, and facing the question. At 6 months post decision, families reflected on the need for corroborating evidence that they had made the right decision, which the authors term seeking a triangulation of certainty. Advance directives and forthright communication from clinicians were two factors that most helped family members feel more positive about events.

Journal

Journal of Family Nursing – SAGE

Published: Nov 1, 1999

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