Needs of Family Care-Givers during Patients Depending on Life-Sustaining Technologies in a Hospital

Abstract

Technologies have been increasingly employed to save and sustain patients’ lives. Nurses must develop their competencies to manage technologies as well as understand people. This study aimed to identify needs of of patients who are dependent on life-sustaining technologies in a university hospital in the South of Thailand. Qualitative research methodology was used in the study. Data were collected by interviewing ten family members who met the inclusion criteria for participation between April and August 2010. The inclusion criteria were: 1) Being a family member of an adult or elderly patient who depended on life-sustaining technologies in the hospital, 2) Having experience of participation in lating care of his/her family member who was dependent on life-sustaining technologies in hospital, and 3) Being willing to participate in the study. Content analysis method was used to analyze and categorize data from interview transcriptions. Trust-worthiness of qualitative study was achieved following Lincoln and Guba’s criteria. The findings revealed needs of families in three major thematic categories: 1) Need for information about technology, 2) Need for assurance on technological safety, and 3) Need to be involved in physician and nurse caring. Nurses could apply these findings in their practice by developing quality nursing practice guidelines to care for persons with technologies congruent with the needs of families grounded on the model of family-centered care and patient partnership in care.

Keywords

• family members who were care-givers
• life-sustaining technology
• need