Creating a sense of peace: a phenomenological study of the experience of a family member consenting to donate a deceased relative's organs

Manuel, April D. (2004) Creating a sense of peace: a phenomenological study of the experience of a family member consenting to donate a deceased relative's organs. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This study used a phenomenological approach drawing on van Manen's (1997) methods of inquiry in order to describe and interpret the meaning of what life is like for five women who have consented to donate a deceased relative's organs for transplantation. This study captures the meaning of this phenomenon in such a way that nurses and others who read this text, could develop new insights into the lives of these individuals, enabling them to implement strategies to better assist and support the family, and perhaps decrease barriers to organ donation. -- A thematic analysis of the participants' narrative descriptions identified five essential themes: the struggle to acknowledge the death, the positive outcome of the death, creating a living memory, buying time, and the significance of support networks in the organ donation decision. The integration of these themes revealed the essence of the experience as creating a sense of peace. These five themes and the essence of the experience are discussed in relation to the literature, followed by recommendations for future nursing practice, education, and research.

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