The psychiatric health model for meaningful support by family members who must decide on the treatment of life support

• Published in: Curationis (Pretoria) Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 27 - 36
• Main Authors: Oberholster, M, Poggenpoel, M, Gmeiner, A C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Afrikaans
• Published: South Africa 01-05-2003
• Subjects: Decision Making; Family - psychology; Humans; Life Support Care; Models, Nursing; Nurse-Patient Relations; Nursing; Professional-Family Relations; Psychiatric Nursing; Social Support; South Africa; Withholding Treatment; South Africa
• ISSN: 0379-8577

The aim of this research is to develop, describe, operationalize and evaluate a model as framework for meaningful support by the advanced psychiatric nurse, which will serve to support family members who are involved in the decision-making process regarding the withdrawal of life sustaining treatment, in order to promote their mental health. The paradigm of the Department of Nursing of the Rand Afrikaans University, which endorses the Theory for Health Improvement in Nursing (Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit: Departement Verpleegkunde, 200: 1-16) was accepted for the purpose of this research. A theory generating design which is qualitative, descriptive and contextual was used to develop the model as framework of reference for meaningful support. Step one identifies, classifies and defines the central concept "meaningful support", as well as the essential and relative concepts. Step two formulates the inter-relational views of the identified and defined concepts. In step three the guidelines of Chinn & Kramer (1995: 105-124) was utilised for the structural and process description of the model. The structure of the model's process, which comprises three phases, is cyclic. Step four consists of evaluation regarding the process description of the model, done according to the definition of the central concept "meaningful support". The evaluation criteria of Chinn & Kramer (1995: 125-135) were also used.