• Christine Dunger and Martin W Schnell.
• Institut für Ethik und Kommunikation im Gesundheitswesen an der Universität Witten/Herdecke. Christine.Dunger@uni-wh.de
• Pflege Z. 2012 Mar 1; 65 (3): 170-5.

AbstractAim of this study was to explore the nursing professionals' experiences and handling of decisions to provide complementary care for patients with breathlessness at the end of life. Therefore, it presents one of the first studies in the German speaking area addressing genuine nursing decisions belonging to their responsibility. Based on Grounded Theory Methodology the data were collected and analysed synchronously. Results show a high professional and emphatic decision making process always focussing on the patient. "To consider the patient" emanates from their general attitude and is influenced by the possibility to be human themselves and by reflecting ones limitations. At the same time participants described a repertoire of complementary care procedures which they use in their daily nursing routine. This study illustrates the decision making process and outlines the general attitude influencing all decisions and actions of nurses to relieve breathlessness. Furthermore, it shows for the first time a range of currently used complementary care procedures to treat patients with breathlessness at the end of life.

16 keywords...

hide…