Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement: caregiver decision making in Taiwan

Lily Yeh; Susan J Fetzer; Shu-Yin Chen; Feng-Hwa Lu; Chiao-Hsiung Chuang; Ching-Huey Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jfma.2012.04.002

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement: caregiver decision making in Taiwan

J Formos Med Assoc. 2013 Feb;112(2):99-104. doi: 10.1016/j.jfma.2012.04.002. Epub 2012 Oct 2.

Authors

Lily Yeh¹, Susan J Fetzer, Shu-Yin Chen, Feng-Hwa Lu, Chiao-Hsiung Chuang, Ching-Huey Chen

Affiliation

¹ Department of Nursing, Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.

PMID: 23380612
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2012.04.002

Abstract

Background/purpose: To explore Taiwanese caregivers' decision making experiences of accepting a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube for their family member.

Methods: A phenomenological approach was used for the interview and analysis. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 26 caregivers of patients who had percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube in southern Taiwan.

Results: Five themes were recognized to reflect caregivers' decision making experiences with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: awareness of suffering, awareness of options, uncertainty, opportunity, and contentment with the decision.

Conclusion: Caregivers' decisions to proceed with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy procedure were mediated by desires to relieve patients' suffering. To empower caregivers to make enteral feeding decisions, nurses must provide sufficient information about percutaneous gastrostomy tubes and their care, support decision making and help to identify an opportunity for gastrostomy tube placement.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Caregivers / psychology*
Decision Making*
Female
Gastroscopy
Gastrostomy / methods*
Gastrostomy / psychology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged