Parents' experiences with life-and-death decisions concerning their premature infants
Brinchmann, B.S.ør.; Førde, R.; Nortvedt, P.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 122(21): 2098-2101
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 12555644 Document Number: 546935
The study is concerned with parents' experience with life-and-death decisions concerning their premature infants in hospitals neonatal units. What are parents' attitudes towards their being involved in such decision-making? During the 1997-2000 period, 20 qualitative interviews with 35 parents of 26 children were made. A qualitative, comparative method (grounded theory) was used for the analysis, which was carried out in parallel with data collection. Parents are exposed to great mental pressure, which may bring about a sense of ambivalence and a wish to avoid responsibility. Most parents do not wish to have the final word in decisions concerning their infant's life or death. Such a responsibility is likely to make parents feel guilty and puts too heavy a burden on the parents, but parents wish to be informed and taken seriously in the decision making-process. Parents value health professionals' communication and information more than parent autonomy and right to choose.