THE DILEMMA OF "to-be or not-to-be": NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE TAIWANESE CADAVERIC ORGAN DONOR FAMILIES DURING THE PRE-DONATION TRANSITION
Resource
SOCIAL SCIENCE AND MEDICINE v.53 n.6 pp.693-706
Journal
SOCIAL SCIENCE AND MEDICINE
Journal Volume
v.53
Journal Issue
n.6
Pages
693-706
Date Issued
2001
Date
2001
Author(s)
SHIH, FU-JIN
LAI, MING-KUEN
LIN, MIN-HEUY
LIN, HUI-YING
TSAO, CHUAN-I
DUH, BAU-RUEI
CHU, SHU-HSUN
Abstract
There has been little study of the Chinese cadaveric donor family's decisions to donate organs within the Chinese cultural framework. A convenience sample of 25 cadaveric donor family members (12 men, 13 women) who gave thier consent to donation at National Taiwan University Hospital agreed to participate in this study and completed in-depth interviews. Data were analyed by a three-steps within-method qualitative triangulation method. The factors influencing the donor family's decisions to donate organs, the needs of donor families, and their expectations of health care providers during the pre-donation transition - the critical period of time between signing a donation and consent to organ harvesting - were examined. The background context and a conceptual framework were further developed to discuss and depict this phenomenon. This project aims to broaden the horizon on organ donation and contribute the understanding of some of the psychodynamic issues in the Chinese family in Taiwan.
Subjects
organ transplant nursing
cadaveric donor family
organ donation
Chinese culture
Taiwan
INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT