Nurses' Experiences of Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) by the Narrative Inquiry

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to understand the meaning of the DNR experiences of nurses. Methods: The data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and field records with five nurses from November 2009 to February 2011. The data were analyzed using narrative inquiry methodology. Results: Three fundamental themes were derived from data analysis as following: ‘faithfulness to care for comfort,’ ‘helping for peaceful farewells between the patient and the family,’ ‘reflecting one’s lives with a collision of feeling toward the death.’ Conclusion: The results indicate that nurses take a role of an advocate in caring for DNR patients and being concerned about their families’ conflict and anguish. In addition, this study indicates the importance of education on living will, advanced directives and preparation for the death tailored to the public including healthcare professionals.