This phenomenological study was conducted in a rural area serviced by a small community hospital to answer the research question , "what is the lived experience of the spouse of the critically ill patient." The informants were three female spouses who had experienced critical care as the spouse of a critically ill male patient within the past year. Once verbal consent was obtained, written consent was obtained by sending a letter explaining the study, along with a consent form describing the risks and the benefits.Data were collected by means of tape-recorded unstructured forty-five minute interview. The study was strictly voluntary and all tape-recorded data collected were identified by numbers only and destroyed at the completion of the study. The informant was asked the question, "Tell me what it was like for you when your husband was critically ill?" Data were analyzed via the hermaneutical process of Heidegger as outlined by Giorgi.Each informant was provided the opportunity to reflect and recall this lived experience. The informants shared seven common themes even though each experience was individually unique and separate. The seven themes that emerged were (a) fear, (b) educational needs, (c) self-sacrifice, (d) center of focus shift, (e) family event, (f) the need to discuss system contact and, (g) tomorrow.The themes suggest that closure has not occurred for the spouse of the critically ill person. The findings indicate that the event is not limited to the initial hospitalization, but that long term changes and perceptions are apparent from the informants' perspectives.Implications for the nurse clinician, nursing education and research were described. Recommendations for further research include further study on the long term effects of critical illness on the spouse of the critically ill client. / School of Nursing
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/186385 |
| Date | January 1999 |
| Creators | Pryse, Yvette |
| Contributors | Irvine, Phyllis E. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vi, 65 leaves : col. ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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