Process of surrogate decision making by the families of patients transferred to the emergency room with life threatening conditions Abstract

Abstract

　The present study on the families of patients who had been transferred to the emergency room with life threatening conditions examined the process of their surrogate decision making to provide knowledge required for nursing practice in the future. Semi structured interviews with fifteen subjects were conducted and the results were analyzed using the case code matrix method.

　As a result of analysis, the process of surrogate decision making of the families of patients who had been transferred to the emergency room with life threatening conditions were classified into the following six conceptual categories: [Shock and anxiety over a sudden events], [feeling confusion resulting in memory loss], [having to make decisions during hardships], [feeling confident in their decisions after marked anxiety], [feeling anxious about the fact that the condition of the patient does not improve], and [feelings toward surrogate decision making influenced by the condition of the patient or the outcome of treatment]. In summary, the present study suggested that nurses need to understand the process of surrogate decision-making by families of patients, judge where they are in the process, and provide necessary assistance at the appropriate time.