FAMILY EXPERIENCES WITHDRAWING LIFE SUSTAINING THERAPY

关于家庭从急性疾病患者身上撤回生命维持治疗的科学知之甚少。本研究的目的是描述这种经验和这种经验的意义，家庭成员参与撤回生命维持治疗的家庭成员与一个意想不到的，危及生命的疾病。使用现象学的角度进行调查，本研究将试图回答这个问题：什么家庭成员的经验，从一个意想不到的，危及生命的疾病亲人的生命维持治疗的过程中撤出？将使用货车Manen（1984）的定性研究的现象学方法。这种方法将允许研究者和家庭成员共同致力于描述正在研究的现象。将对家庭成员进行深入的录音采访，并采用观察技术。 随着家属参与生命维持治疗的撤出，将在几天到几周的时间内进行多次访谈和观察。大都会医疗中心的所有成人重症监护室都将是数据收集的地点。将采用理论目的抽样方法获得家庭成员参与者。 家庭成员将入组研究，直至达到数据或理论饱和。至少有20个家庭将参加。所有的采访记录和现场记录都将被转录。意义单位、聚类、然后是类别将从记录的每一行数据中归纳确定。Guba和林肯（1981）的标准，确定定性科学调查的方法论严谨性将被使用。将使用林肯（1981）的结果来确定定性科学探究的方法论严谨性。这项研究的结果将对未来的研究，临床实践和医疗保健政策具有重要意义。

DESCRIPTION Little is known about the science of families withdrawing life sustaining therapy from patients with acute illnesses. The purpose of this study is to describe this experience and the meaning of this experience of family members participating in withdrawing life sustaining therapy from a family from a family member with an unexpected, life threatening illness. Using a phenomenological perspective for inquiry, this study will seek to answer the question: What do family members experience during the process of withdrawal of life sustaining therapy from a loved one with an unexpected, life threatening illness? Van Manen's (1984) phenomenological method of qualitative research will be used This method will allow the researcher and the family members to mutually commit to describing the phenomenon being studied. In depth audiotaped interviews will be conducted with family members and observation techniques will be employed. Multiple interviews and observations will be conducted over a period of days to week as families participate in the withdrawal of life sustaining therapy. All adult critical care units of a metropolitan medical center will be sites for data collection. Theoretical purposive sampling will be used to obtain the family member participants. Family members will be enrolled into the study until data or theory saturation is reached is reached. A minimum of twenty families will be included. All interview transcripts and field notes will be transcribed. Units of meaning, clusters, then categories will be inductively determined from each line of recorded data. Guba and Lincoln's (1981) criteria for determining methodological rigor for qualitative scientific inquiry will be used. The results Lincoln's (1981) for determining methodological rigor of qualitative scientific inquiry will be used. The results of this study will have important implications for future research, clinical practice, and health care policy.