脳死下臓器提供の意思決定に至るまでの家族に対する看護実践

抄録

【Objective】 This study aimed to describe nursing care and its intention considered by nurses for the brain-dead patient’s family until the decision making on brain death organ donation.

【Design】 This study was qualitative study.

【Methods】 Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven nurses having the experience of caring for brain-dead organ donors and their families. The components involved in decision support were identified from the interviews and qualitatively analyzed.

【Results】 The results revealed four main features of nursing practice for supporting families making decisions on brain death organ donation in the emergency department as follows: (1) Following and respecting family members’ emotions and hopes in the decision-making process; (2) Care for the family to realize the unchanged dignity of the brain-dead patient; (3) Being on the side of the family but keeping a certain distance psychologically and grasping the overall picture of the family to maintain the family as they are; and (4) Following the system of support for families deciding on brain death organ donation.

【Conclusion】 These findings suggested that in order to enhance care for the families until decision-making on brain death organ donation, the nurses nestled the family’s grief process and showed continuing respect for patient’s dignity, by relying on the multi-professional team.