J Korean Acad Adult Nurs.  1997 Aug;9(2):251-261.

A Study on Caring Experiences of the Families of the Seriously Ill Patients

• Roh ES
• Kwon HJ
• Kim KH

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to build up the foundation to prepare the effective nursing intervention devices for the seriously ill patient's families nursing through the nurse understanding of the experiences of the seriously ill patient's families in the field by setting up grounded theory. In this study, the subjects is the 6 families members of ICU patients, who were being cared in university hospital and the data were collected from 4.15 to 5, 1996 by the recordings and transcring the interview. The intervention lasted from 2 hours to 2 and a half hours. The data were analyzed in the framework of grounded theory as mapped out by Strauss & Corbin. The core category in the analysis of the experiences of the families of the seriously ill patients was the process of setting the "distress". In the process of datas analysis, the categories were 19 conceptions-'serious', 'bad', 'fear', 'press', 'hearburn', 'impatient', 'insufficient', 'change of patients' status', 'economic ability', 'family relationship', 'whilled power', 'request', 'direct caring', 'passive effort', 'control', 'receive', 'tired', 'blame'. These categories were again grouped into 12 categories, including 'exigency', 'overwhelming', 'worry', 'change of status', 'economic ability', 'relationship', 'caring will' 'active caring', 'passive response', 'accept', 'exhaustion', 'blame'. In the above mentioned categories, 'overwhelming' and 'worry' were categorized into the "distress!". On the basis of the patterns that have emerged on process of data analysis, the five below were confirmed. (1) When the patient's status is worse and economic ability is bad and the family relation to the patient is close and the distress is expressed with active caring willness is strong, the distress is expressed with active caring and brings about accept and blame. (2) When the family relation to the patient is distant and the distress decrease and the subject's caring willness is weak, the distress is expressed with passive response and brings about accept and exhaustion in spite of the patient's status is worse and bad economic ability. (3) When the patient's status is worse and economic ability is bad and the family relation to the patient is close and the distress increase, the subject's caring willness is strong, the distress is subject's caring willness is strong, the distress is expressed with passive response and brings about accept and exhaustion. (4) When the patient's status is improve and economic ability is good and the distress decrease and the subject's caring willing is strong, the distress is expressed with active caring and brings about accept and blame in spite of the family relation to the patient is close. (5) When the patient's status is improve and economic ability is bad and the family relation to the patient is close and the distress increase, the subject's caring willness is strong, the distress is expressed with active caring and brings about accept and blame.

MeSH Terms

Family Relations
Humans
Nursing
Statistics as Topic