The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the process of complex healthcare decision-making by parents for their children within the milieu of a pediatric palliative care team. As healthcare has advanced, the number of children living with complex chronic conditions has increased. Decision-making by parents for their children referred to palliative care has not, up to this point, been widely explored by nursing. A purposeful sample of 22 participants, parents of children in life-limiting or life-threatening situations were asked: What matters most during the process of complex healthcare decision-making?
A constant comparative method was used to analyze data collected from semistructured interviews and the theory of embodying parenting in the midst of conflicting complexity emerged. J. Watson’s (2020) theory of human caring grounded the researcher in living caritas processes throughout the study. All participants experienced a disruption of their expected parenting and family normal. Through constant comparative data analysis, the core category of embodying parenting was identified. Feeling respected as the parent, thoughtfully making right decisions, and maintaining presence support embodying parenting. The basic social process identified was finding a unique path. The process of finding a unique path included connecting with a supportive community, claiming decisional authority, moderating negative thoughts and feelings, and adjusting expectations. Living in peace was achieved by finding a unique path to embodying parenting in the midst of conflicting complexity. For the participants in this study, accepting circumstances, feeling gratitude, and perceiving life differently led to living in peace. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_64710 |
| Contributors | Olafson, Elizabeth A. (author), Barry, Charlotte D. (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 135 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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