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Affiliation
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Lecturer in Nursing, School of Nursing, Ulster University, Northland Road, Londonderry, Co, Londonderry, BT48 7JL, Northern Ireland. |
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Abstract
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This paper provides an insight into the views of healthcare professionals on the presence of family members during brainstem death testing.
BACKGROUND: Brainstem death (BSD) presents families with a paradoxical death that can be difficult to define. International research suggests families should be given the choice to be present at BSD testing, yet it appears few units offer families the choice to be present and little attention has been paid to developing practice to enable effective facilitation of choice.
DESIGN: A qualitative, exploratory design was adopted to understand the perceptions of healthcare professionals. Individual semi-structured interviews were audio-taped and carried out over two months.
METHODS: A purposive sample of 10 nurses and 10 doctors from two tertiary intensive care units in the United Kingdom were interviewed and transcripts were analysed using content analysis to identify emergent categories and themes.
RESULTS: Healthcare professionals indicated different perceptions of death in the context of catastrophic brainstem injury. The majority of participants favoured offering families the choice to be present while acknowledging the influence of organisation culture. Identified benefits included acceptance, closure and better understanding. Suggested challenges involved the assumption of trauma or disruption and sense of obligation for families to accept if choice was offered. Key issues involved improving knowledge and communication skills in order to individually tailor support for families involved.
CONCLUSIONS: If families are to be offered the choice of witnessing BSD testing, considering that needs and conventions will differ according to global cultural backgrounds, then key needs must be met to ensure that effective care and support is provided to families and clinicians. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Language: en |