This qualitative study describes the experience of family members making do-not-resuscitate (DNR) decisions for an imcompetent, terminally ill family member. Terminally ill was defined as a debilitating condition that is medically incurable and expected to cause death. The essence of the experience was gathered through in-depth unstructured interviews. Interviews were then analyzed using qualitative analysis procedures. Three broad theme categories were identified: (a) making the decision, (b) the companion of stress, and (c) the perception of feeling supported or nonsupported. Within each category, theme clusters developed. Theme clusters under “making the decision” delineated areas decision makers considered before arriving at the DNR decision. Theme clusters under “companion of stress” and “perception of feeling supported or nonsupported” portrayed the needs of family members surrounding the decision-making process. The fulfillment or nonfulfillment of identified needs had a direct relationship with family members' decision satisfaction.
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