Adolescents' lived experiences of substance abuse in the Greater Giyani Municipality

Background: Adolescence is a unique and distinct stage of development that involves changes in the physical, psychological and social aspects of adolescents. It is a critical transition into adulthood whereby heightened risk-taking and sensation-seeking takes place, such as substance abuse. In a South African context, this transition sometimes occurs under economic stress, poverty, unemployment, high levels of crime and political instability. This can place adolescents at risk of substance abuse. Objectives: To explore and describe the lived experiences of adolescents abusing substances in the Greater Giyani Municipality in the Limpopo province, South Africa. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design with a phenomenological approach was used. Data were collected through individual, in-depth, phenomenological interviews and field notes. Thematic coding was utilised to analyse the collected data, and literature was reviewed to support the findings. Moreover, measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical principles were applied throughout the research process. Results: Five themes were identified: substance abuse behaviour among adolescents, adolescents' motivation for continuing substance abuse, the effects of substance abuse on the lives of adolescents, factors affecting adolescents' discontinuation of substance abuse and a need to discontinue substance abuse. Conclusion: The study concluded that adolescents abusing substances in the Greater Giyani, Limpopo province, experience loss of control, broken relationships, poor academic performance, stigma attached to mental illness and negative emotions. The adolescents foresaw their future as uncertain and without direction. It is recommended that mental healthcare professionals introduce and implement interventions that will assist the adolescents who abuse substances in the Greater Giyani, Limpopo province. Contribution: The findings in this study could add knowledge in developing and implementing of strategies for psychiatric nurses to support adolescents abusing substances in the Greater Giyani, Limpopo province.

Parenting a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Study

Background: Research in India has seldom studied caregivers’ perceptions, experiences, and needs for information and personal support after an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to understand the perceived barriers for obtaining a diagnosis and the perspectives and experiences of parents of children with autism. Materials and Methods: Parents with a diagnosed ASD child (within a year of diagnosis) in the 3–8 years range were recruited from the Pediatric Psychology and Neurodevelopmental Clinic from a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. An interview guide elicited information about experiences regarding obtaining an ASD diagnosis, perceived barriers and facilitators, reactions to diagnosis, postdiagnostic family and community experiences, and stress experienced by parents. Qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants were recruited till there was a saturation of themes. The ethics clearance was provided by the institutional review board. Results: Twenty-eight caregivers of children with ASD were recruited for the study. Overall, nine themes were identified from the qualitative analysis of the interviews: two before diagnosis (delayed help?seeking and experiences with healthcare), one at the time of diagnosis disclosure (heightened emotional response to diagnosis), and six themes after the diagnosis (increased stress, behavioral challenges, deterioration in family relationships, negative attitudes of the family, seeking support, and moving forward with hope for the future). Conclusions: There are several barriers and gaps in the autism-related available services in the country, and there is a need to provide inclusive, supportive, culturally sensitive, and family-centered model of care for parents raising children with ASD.

The lived experiences of stay-in nurses and nursing aides in a private hospital in Quezon City during the coronavirus pandemic / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION@#The COVID-19 pandemic caused traumatic events among health care workers. They are the ones who are exposed to the virus as frontliners. The study aimed to explore the experiences and impact of the pandemic on the physical, psychological and emotional aspects of both nurses and nursing aides.@*METHODS@#This was a qualitative interpretative phenomenological study, focused on describing the individual nurse’s and nursing aide’s lived experiences as stay-in personnel in a private hospital in Quezon City catering to COVID-19 patients. Participants were selected by purposive sampling. They were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire on how the pandemic affected their physical, psychological and emotional well-being. The qualitative data collected was coded and categorized according to themes that described their lived experiences.@*RESULTS@#The three themes derived were: impact of a pandemic, strategies and coping, and psychological outcome for the three interview questions. Impact of a pandemic included isolation from the family (loneliness/sadness and lack of family interaction) and adequate preparation for a pandemic (preparation for COVID-19, pandemic restrictions, health protocol compliance). Strategies and coping included comfort and convenience (living conditions, independent living), adapting to new normal (coping mechanisms, strategies; exploration), and family safety. Psychological outcome included the emotional impact (fear, anxiety).@*CONCLUSION@#The nurses and nursing aides had both negative and positive experiences, with different outcomes depending on the participant. Most of the experiences were positive, thus the investigators concluded that a change in the participants’ current lives has led to a voluntary decision to be separated from their loved ones while still being happy and content because of the assurance that their families were safe at home.

Experiences of psychiatric nurses caring for mental healthcare users with a comorbid disorder

Background: Caring for mental healthcare users (MHCUs) with a comorbid disorder of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and schizophrenia has always been challenging and requires expertise, skill, intuition and empathy. Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of psychiatric nurses caring for MHCUs with a comorbid disorder of HIV and schizophrenia. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used. Eight participants were selected through purposive sampling for individual in-depth interviews to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Results: Three themes emerged from this study. The first theme is that the psychiatric nurses experienced deep frustration because they were capable but unable to manage MHCUs with HIV and schizophrenia because of poor infrastructure and other contributing barriers. The second theme identified that the psychiatric nurses experienced discrimination against MHCUs compromising their holistic recovery. Lastly, the psychiatric nurses identified the need for health care workers in general hospitals and communities and families of MHCUs with a comorbid disorder to be educated in mental health issues to ensure continuous medical care. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that psychiatric nurses became exhausted when trying to cope with difficult nursing situations. The challenges they faced had negative consequences for the mental health of the psychiatric nurses and compromised patient care. Contribution: This study adds knowledge to nursing practice, nursing education and nursing research by implementing recommendations to mitigate the challenges of psychiatric nurses caring for MHCUs with HIV and schizophrenia.

The experience of athletes with disabilities in mainstream sports: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract Aim: Through reports of the athletes with disabilities interviewed, this study aimed to understand how the experiences lived in mainstream sports occur among people without disabilities. Methods: Husserl's classic phenomenology was the methodological framework adopted. The phenomenological interview was carried out with an intentional sample that included six athletes with some type of physical disability and later its recording was transcribed for the procedures of phenomenological reduction and intentional crossing to explain the meaning of what is experienced by these athletes in mainstream sport. Results: Five categories essentially describe how these experiences occur: operational body barred in the world; shaping the movement; the invisibility of disability; determination stimulus; and normalization of social relations in mainstream sports. These experiences correspond to a dynamic process in which each part does not necessarily follow the other. Conclusion: The experience in mainstream sports allowed the interviewees to improve their experience of capacity, self-efficacy, and recognition through the mutuality between self-perception and the expectation of acceptance by society.

Experiencia vivida frente al aborto inducido en un grupo de mujeres en Bogotá, Colombia / Lived Experience with Induced Abortion of a Group of Women in Bogotá, Colombia / Experiência com o aborto provocado em um grupo de mulheres em Bogotá, Colômbia

Introducción: frente al aborto inducido se han establecido diferentes posturas que muchas veces se basan en perspectivas morales, filosóficas y religiosas, cuando deberían estar centradas en lo que implica esta situación de salud en la vida de las mujeres Metodología: se desarrolló una investigación fenomenológica para establecer los diálogos desde la perspectiva de las propias protagonistas sobre el aborto inducido con una participación de siete mujeres, mayores de 18 años en Bogotá. Resultados: las experiencias de las mujeres son variadas, pero se identificaron algunos aspectos similares o comunes. Sin embargo, cada vivencia es particular y tiene como marco el contexto en el que cada una habitaba en el momento del aborto. Se identificaron las siguientes categorías de análisis: aborto como consecuencia de un embarazo no deseado, aborto como experiencia frente a una decisión autónoma, aborto, culpa y pecado, cambios asociados a la experiencia, maternidad, materialización del deseo y aborto no debe ser considerado como un delito. Conclusiones: la vivencia del aborto no puede ser generalizable, y para su entendimiento debe tenerse en cuenta aspectos que solo atañen a la mujer como experta en su vida y en su situación. El aporte de la presente investigación fue recuperar la vivencia de las mujeres sobre el aborto para contribuir al cuidado de la salud en la población femenina

Introdução: sobre o aborto provocado têm-se estabelecido diferentes posturas, muitas vezes baseadas em perspectivas morais, filosóficas e religiosas, quando deveriam estar focadas no que implica essa situação de saúde na vida das mulheres. Metodologia: desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa fenomenológica para estabelecer os diálogos na perspectiva das próprias protagonistas sobre o aborto provocado com a participação de sete mulheres, maiores de 18 anos, em Bogotá. Resultados: as experiências das mulheres são variadas, mas alguns aspectos semelhantes ou comuns foram identificados. Porém, cada experiência é particular e se enquadra no contexto em que cada uma permanecia no momento do aborto. Foram identificadas as seguintes categorias de análise: aborto como consequência de uma gravidez indesejada, aborto como experiência diante de uma decisão autônoma, aborto, culpa e pecado, mudanças associadas à experiência, maternidade, materialização do desejo e aborto não deve ser considerado como um crime. Conclusões: a experiência do aborto não pode ser generalizável e, para sua compreensão, devem ser considerados aspectos que dizem respeito apenas à mulher como especialista em sua vida e em sua situação. A contribuição desta pesquisa foi resgatar as vivências de mulheres sobre o aborto para contribuir com a atenção à saúde da população feminina.

Introduction: Regarding induced abortion, different positions have been adopted, often based on moral, philosophical, and religious perspectives, when they should be focused on what this health situation implies for women's lives. Method: A phenomenological research was conducted to establish dialogues from the own protagonists' perspective of induced abortion, where seven women over 18 years of age in Bogotá participated. Results: Women's experiences are varied, but some similar or common aspects were identified. However, each experience is specific and is framed within the context where each woman lived at the time of the abortion. The following categories of analysis were identified: Abortion as a consequence of unwanted pregnancy, abortion as an experience versus an autonomous decision, abortion, guilt and sin, changes associated with the experience, maternity, desire materialization, and abortion should not be considered a crime. Conclusions: Abortion experience cannot be generalized, and for its understanding, aspects that only concern women as the experts on their lives and situations must be taken into account. This research contribution was to restore women's abortion experiences to advance female population health care

We got to move it, move it: The lived experiences of family carers of youth with chronic neurodevelopmental disorders as they enter into adult health care

Background and objective @#Neurodevelopmental disabilities in adolescents have signifi cant effects on medical and social function. One of these challenges is their transition into adult care. Parental involvement is critical because these young adults may have more diffi culties in making informed decisions independently. Thus, the transition process involves not only the direct health care needs of the young adult, but the needs and concerns of the parents or carers who are instrumental in guiding that process. This study aims to explore the expectations and experiences of family carers of youths with chronic neurodevelopmental disorders who have undergone or are about to undergo transition into adult healthcare in a Filipino-based health care system.@*Methods@#A descriptive phenomenology was used to gain an in-depth understanding of parents’ perceptions and experiences of their youths’ transition process from a pediatric to an adult health care setting. The results were analyzed manually using Colaizzi’s method, which involves integrating both the destructured and restructured analysis principles of phenomenology. Purposive sampling was used to interview 13 family carers of 13 youths with various neurodevelopmental disorders using a semi-structured interview questionnaire.@*Results @#Despite the lack of information on the transition process, our study found that carers did not have a strong inclination to resist the transition event. Most of the carers treat the health care provider as a major decision maker in determining the timing and manner of transition, adopting a “doctor knows best” attitude. Several other hindrances and facilitators to successful transition were also identifi ed and are similar to the current literature.@*Conclusion @#This study provides a greater understanding of carers’ perceptions and experiences of transition care for youths with neurodevelopmental disorders in the local setting. They exhibited trust and confi dence in the medical profession as a whole, and had a “doctor knows best” attitude that may enable successful transitioning.

"Sos vos con el pensamiento": La experiencia vivida de la hospitalización de mujeres con embarazos de alto riesgo / "Are your voices with thought": The lived experience of the hospitalization of women with high-risk pregnancies

Objetivo: Develar el significado de la experiencia vivida de la hospitalización de mujeres con gestaciones de alto riesgo en una institución de salud en la ciudad de Medellín. Metodología: Esta es una investigación cualitativa realizada con el enfoque fenomenológico hermenéutico. La muestra fue definida por el criterio único de saturación a través de un muestreo de tipo intencional. Las participantes fueron cuatro mujeres que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. La recolección de la información se hizo mediante entrevista en profundidad, realizada en dos sesiones por participante, para un total de 8 entrevistas. De manera previa, se hizo un estudio exploratorio con una mujer que estuvo hospitalizada en otra institución, pero estos datos no forman parte de los resultados. El análisis de la información recopilada fue guiado por los cinco existenciales de Max Van Manen: cuerpo vivido, relación vivida, espacio vivido, tiempo vivido y cosas vividas. Resultados: Por medio de tres aproximaciones (holística, selectiva y línea a línea) se logró develar el mundo de cada una de las participantes a través de los cinco existenciales de Van Manen. En la experiencia cuerpo vivido, "Sos vos con el pensamiento", las mujeres relatan una lucha interna entre lo que sienten y lo que expresan. El significado de la relación vivida, Los tres otros, estuvo mediada por una conexión con un ser superior, ayudada por las relaciones con sus familiares y con el apoyo y la tranquilidad que les brindaba el personal de salud. Por su parte, el espacio vivido, transitando por los diferentes servicios, fue significativo ya que tuvo en cuenta el lugar y los sucesos ocurridos en el espacio, y estos permitieron percibir vivencias con diferentes matices. En cuanto a la experiencia tiempo vivido, el pasado que anticipa el futuro, se refiere a experiencias pasadas que influyen los sentimientos, pensamientos y las emociones del presente. Por último, las cosas vividas, (como, cuando me lo quitaban en la noche, que no me hacían monitoreo, sentía como una paz) expresan, en este caso, la molestia por el uso de los dispositivos médicos, pero entendiendo que eran necesarios para su cuidado. Conclusiones: El significado de la experiencia vivida de la hospitalización es relatado por las participantes como una lucha interna con sus pensamientos; esto desencadena en ellas una cascada de emociones en la que los acontecimientos hacen que, de manera abrupta, pasen de una emoción a otra. La incertidumbre se siente a lo largo de la experiencia, es parte del proceso y se expresa de diferentes formas. A su vez, el paso del tiempo les permite percibir, de forma corporal, las implicaciones de las situaciones, y altera la experiencia del espacio que están habitando. Las mujeres quieren ser reconocidas por la complejidad de su enfermedad y por su proceso de embarazo, reclaman que las hagan sentir únicas y especiales a través de un cuidado humanizado. (AU)

Objective: To reveal lived experience meaning from women at Inpatient care high-risk pregnancies in Healthcare Facility at Medellin city. Methodology: Qualitative research with a hermeneutical phenomenological approach proposed by Max Van Manen. The sample was defined by a single criterion of saturation and through intentional sampling. Our participants were four women who met the inclusion criteria. The information was collected through an in-depth interview, carried out in two sessions by each participant for a total of 8 interviews, these were carried out after the exploratory study was done, which included the participation of a woman who was hospitalized in another institution but she isn´t part of the data. The information analysis was guided by Max Van Manen's five existentialist, lived body, lived relationship, lived space, lived time and lived things. Results: Through three holistic, selective and line by line approaches it was possible to unveil the life's world from each one participants by means of the five existential's comprehension In the experience of the lived body, the women relate "Are you with voices with thought "an internal struggle between what they feel and express. The meaning lived relationship: "The three others" were mediated by a connection with a higher being aided by family relationships and the support and tranquility provided by health personnel, for their part, the lived space: Transiting through the different services It was significant according to the place and the events that occurred within the space that made this experience perceived with different nuances. The time lived: The past that anticipates the future, the past experiences influenced their feelings, thoughts and emotions of the present and the other part the things lived "When they took it off me at night, they didn't monitor me, it felt like a peace" meant feeling discomfort for the use of the devices but understanding that they were necessary for their care. Conclusions: Their lived experience meaning from inpatient setting is lived and related by the participants as an internal struggle with their thoughts which triggers a cascade of emotions where events make them abruptly transition from one emotion to another. Uncertainty is felt throughout the experience, it is part of the process and is expressed in different ways. In turn, the passage of time allows them to perceive the implications of situations in a bodily way, altering the experience of the space they are inhabiting. Women want to be recognized for the complexity of their disease and their pregnancy process, they demand that they make them feel unique and special through humanized care. (AU)

Quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer: A mixed method study

Aim of the Study: The current research was conducted with the aim of determining the quality of life of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients using mixed method approach. Methods: A mixed method triangulation design (QUAN + QUAL) was adopted in the study. Quantitative data were collected among 54 and qualitative data were collected till data saturation using nested sampling technique. Data were collected from seven oncological wards of two tertiary care hospitals during the 4th week of radiation therapy. Quantitative data were collected through functional assessment of cancer therapy: head and neck, and a semi-structured interview schedule was adopted to elicit their experiences. Quantitative and qualitative data were compared during the analysis phase. Both qualitative and quantitative data were depicted in meta-matrices. Results: Results showed that the most affected domains were functional well-being followed by HNC subscale. Similar findings were observed in narrative description of participants. Most focused experience was pain, and difficulty in eating and swallowing was experienced due to pain. Their verbal communication was inefficacious due to loss of voice and tone. Moreover, communication was difficult owing to changes in the oral mucous membrane and pathology. Conclusion: Patients with HNC suffer from varying degrees of psychosocial problems, and it is important to identify the psychosocial adjustment of the patients since the symptoms are sufficient to lay heavy burden

Unresolved Suffering Lived Experiences of College Students / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to discover the structure of the lived experiences of unresolved suffering of college students and to gather information to develop therapeutic educational interventions for nursing students. METHODS: The research question, 'What is the structure of the lived experience of unresolved suffering?' was examined based on Parse's Human becoming research method. Twelve nursing students were recruited from K University. From May, 1 to June 30, 2009, Data were gathered from writings and engagement in dialog. RESULTS: The structure found in the college students' lived experiences of suffering was as follows: negative self-concept from being discriminated and ignored by parents, feelings against people and difficulties in interpersonal relations, feelings of isolation, betrayal, guilt, and loss. Their suffering was emotional grief and social withdrawal from damaged human dignity and low self-esteem from psychological trauma. Conceptual integration found to be in process of transferring the enabling-limiting, connecting-separating values. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop therapeutic educational interventions for college students for further development as individuals and future health professional by developing awareness of the structure and the meaning of their suffering experience.

Vivencias de los(as) adolescentes en diálisis: una vida con múltiples pérdidas pero con esperanza / Lived experiences of adolescents in dialysis: life with multiple loses

Introducción: La insuficiencia renal terminal afecta todas las dimensiones de la vida de las personas. El impacto de esta enfermedad durante la adolescencia es más dramático porque el(a) adolescente debe superar las demandas propias de esta etapa de la vida y de la situación de enfermedad. El conocimiento sobre el impacto de la enfermedad en la vida de los(as) adolescentes es escaso; para contribuir a dicho conocimiento se realizó un estudio con el objetivo de describir las vivencias de los(as) adolescentes durante la diálisis. Metodología: Es un estudio cualitativo y se utilizó la fenomenología interpretativa basada en la filosofía de Heidegger como estrategia metodológica. Hallazgos: Los(as) adolescentes en diálisis vivencian pérdidas de su cotidianidad sobre todo en su vida de estudiantes; también viven la pérdida de su independencia, la imagen corporal previa y la imagen corporal deseada. Los horarios impuestos e inflexibles para cumplir con el tratamiento farmacológico, el procedimiento de la diálisis, la presencia del catéter para ésta y las restricciones alimentarias son las causas fundamentales de tales pérdidas. Las relaciones de los(as) adolescentes con sus pares se deterioran por el aislamiento social en que se sumergen como una manera de afrontar las pérdidas. El transplante renal es percibido como el camino a la recuperación de lo perdido. Conclusión: El conocimiento generado por el estudio puede contribuir a que los cuidados que se proveen a estos(as) jóvenes sean más acorde con la cotidianidad que viven.

Introduction: Terminal renal failure affects all aspects of the person’s life. The impact of this illness during the adolescence is quite dramatic since the adolescent must overcome the demands from the developmental stage and the illness situation. Knowledge about the illness impact on the adolescents´life is scarce; as a contribution to increasing this knowledge, a study was done to describe the lived experiences of adolescents in dialysis. Methodology: The study is qualitative; the methodological strategy used was interpretive phenomenolgy based on Heidegger´s phylosophy. Findings: Adolescents in dialysis experienced losses in their everyday life, especially as students; they also experienced loss of their independence, their previous body image and their desirable body image. The imposed and rigid timetables for the pharmacological treatment and dialysis procedure, the dialysis catheter and the diet restrictions are the main causes of their losses. Peer relationships deteriorated due to the social isolation the adolescents imposed on themselves as a way to cope with the losses. Renal transplant is perceived as a mean to recover all they have lost. Conclusion: Knowledge generated by this study would contribute to provide health care more congruent with the adolescents’ everyday needs.

The Life Experiences of the Sheltered Homeless / 성인간호학회지

PUPPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe the psychological aspects of experiences of men living in a homeless shelter in Seoul. This study focused on understanding about the life of the homeless in the shelter by Phenomenological method. METHOD: The participants in this study were seven men who are living in a homeless shelter in Seoul. The following data were collected though the in-depth interviews and analyzed by the Phenomenological analytic method of Giorgi. RESULT: There are five focal significances about the life of the homeless. (1) Unplanned Life : Difficult life comes from outside situation, Freedom, The acceptance of unconsciousness life, Laziness, Unreliability, The dissolute life, No purpose to life, Relying on drinking, (2) Self-rationalization : Feeling of defeat, Give up, Desire for a support system, Lack of willingness, Anxiety, Chivalry, Falsehoods, (3) Superficial Interpersonal Relationships : Ignorance, Pressure, Discord, Hiding from one anther, avoidance. (4) A sense of devestation : Negative perspective, Mental weakness, Difficulties in employment, ambivalance with social structure, The place to escape, Complaining against the opposite sex, Sense of regret, Lack of relationship with family, The lack of self-confidence, Loss of volition (5) The Hope of new life : Realization, Desire for change, Dreaming of married life, Dependence in God CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this study shows that the men in the shelter had various psychological reasons for being in the homeless shelter. Further studies need to be done to validate this information and formulate ways to assist these men with their psychological needs.

The Lived Experiences of Inpatients'Families in the Intensive Care Units / 성인간호학회지

The study was done by applying a phenomenological study, which is qualitative research methods, in order to understand the meaning of the lived experiences, to confirm and describe the meaning structure, and to prepare nursing interventive strategies centering around the meanings of the inpatients' families in the intensive care units. In the study, the family members were the main important nursing providers for in the inpatients' who were admitted in the neuro-surgical intensive care unit in K-university hospital and who agreed to participate in the study after being given on explanation about the purpose of the study. The data were collected from the seven participants who had feelings of trust and intimacy favorable toward the researcher as they were families of patients who had been cared for by the researcher in the ICU where the researcher has been assigned. The data were collected from April to October, 1999. The participants described their experiences as candidly as possible. The researcher described closely the lived experiences with their own words and the observations of the researcher. A tape recorder was used with the consent of the participants to prevent nursing information and communication. The analysis of the data was made through the phenomenological analytic method suggested by Giorgi; as an unit of description, which include the participants'expressions and the researcher's observations, the analysis was used based on the data described from the expressions of the participants and the details of observations of the researcher. The conclusions of the study were as follows: The meanings of the lived experience of the inpatients'families in the ICU was confirmed by indepth interviews and observations including these of the participatants: 1. Psychological impact: confusion, impatience, surprise, insensibility; 2. Physical suffering: fatigue, discomfort, indigestion; 3. Psychological suffering: heartbreaking emotion, anxiety, annoyance, fear, compassion, grief; 4. Economical suffering: economical difficulties; 5. Psychological disagreement: escape from reality, personnel avoidance, grudge, powerlessness, carefulness, transposition of life-tract, abandonment, role-crisis, hope, lack of understanding, regret, feeling of ambivalence(progressive process, medical personnel interest); 6. Psychological dependency; self-reliance groupsupport, family support, religious support; 7. Psychological acceptance; acquaintance, gratitude, reassurance; The study will offer better understanding of experiences therefore, based on the experiences confirmed by the study, it may facilitate more appropriate nursing interventive strategies for health maintenance and to prevent occurrence of possible problems with the inpatients'families in the ICUs.

A Study on the Lived Experiences of the Family Caregivers in Senile Dementia / 성인간호학회지

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the lived experience of the family caregivers with the demented elderly. For investigate purposes of this study, data collection was done from May 9th to October 16th 1997, by means of in-depth interviews with 6 individuals in caregiving families. The research question was "What are the lived experiences of being a family caregiver with the demented elderly? "All interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed for the analysis using Colaizzi's method. The main results of this study were as follows : 1) Family caregivers ascribed the cause of the dementia to 'environmental change' and the 'introverted personality of the elderly'. 2) Family caregivers let the demented elderly alone initially and then they restrained the elderly who was in a fit of dementia. 3) The coping response of family caregivers varied. The coping reponses were (1) having their moods go up and down, (2) enduring and praying, (3) avoiding the elderly, (4) hoping for release from responsibility, (5) enduring their conditions(obligations), (6) accepting the elderly, (7) taking an objective view, and (8) taking safety measures. 4) The long ordeal of coping with a demented elderly person resulted in the (1) loss of physical and psychological well-being, (2) ethical conflicts, (3) family conflicts, (4) become desperate, (5) rejection of the aging process, (6) sympathy and understanding for the elderly, (7) awareness that the support system is important and (8) hope of sharing their responsibility. The results of this study may help nurses to understand the lived experiences of the family caregivers with the demented elderly better, in order to provide more basic data for the development of educational programs for dementia family caregivers. It may help to make the coping process easier and more successful for the family members of the demented elderly.