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Home to die from the intensive care unit: A qualitative descriptive study of the family's experience
Amy L Hutchinson1, Kim A Van Wissen2
1Intensive Care Unit, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand; Emergency Department, Hawke's Bay Hospital, Omahu Road, Hastings 4156, New Zealand.
Background:
Many people would choose to die at home, and this can be an option for intensive care patients. However, there is limited exploration of the impact on the family.
Aim:
To gain insight into family members' experiences when an adult intensive care unit patient is taken home to die.
Methods:
Methodology is qualitative description, utilising purposeful sampling, unstructured interviews and thematic analysis. Four participants, from two different families were interviewed. The setting was a tertiary level Intensive Care Unit in New Zealand.
Findings:
The experience was described as a kaleidoscope of events with two main themes: 'value' family member's found in the patient going home, and their experience of the 'process'. 'Value' subthemes: going home being the patient's own decision, home as an end-of-life environment, and the patient's positive response to being at home. 'Process' subthemes: care and support received, stress of a family member being in intensive care, feeling that everything happened quickly, and concerns and uncertainties.
Conclusion:
Going home to die from the intensive care unit can be a positive but challenging experience for the family. Full collaboration between the patient, family and staff is essential, to ensure the family are appropriately supported.
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