子どもを亡くした家族への支援に関する研究 : 闘病にかかわった医療者に対するニーズに焦点をあてて

本研究の目的は,子どもが亡くなる前にかかわった医療者に対して,家族が求める支援を明らかにすることである.地方の大学病院小児病棟への入院を経て1歳半～8歳で亡くなった子ども5例の保護者である計7名に半構成的面接を行い,質的帰納的に分析した.その結果,子どもを亡くした家族は,子どもの闘病期間中に医療者に対して,〈常に確実かつ適切なケアの提供〉と〈子どもおよび家族への配慮〉を求めていた.また,子どもを亡くした後に家族は,子どもの闘病や死など同じ場面を共有した医療者には,その部分について説明することや質問を受けることなく〈思いを聞いて貰うこと〉ができるという点で,胸中を吐露し易い側面があることがわかった.家族が得たい〈親として行った選択への保証〉や〈知りたいことについて教えて貰うこと〉は,子どもの闘病や死に際した医療者からしか得られないものであった.This study was conducted to find out what kind of support is expected from the medical staff who has been involved with a child's care before his/her death, by the family of the child. Semi-structured Interviews were done to the total of 7 parents (2 pairs and 3 mothers) from 5 cases of the children who have died at the age of 18 months to 8 years old after being hospitalized in the pediatric ward of a university hospital in a rural area to collect data for a qualitative inductive analysis. As a result, the families of the deceased children expected the medical staff to "always provide reliable and appropriate care"and to "provide the support for the family especially financially and environmentally", during the struggle with illness. It has also been found that after losing the child the members of the family tend to share their thoughts and feelings with the medical staff who has shared the same experience during the struggle with illness and the death of the child, because they were able to "listen to how they feel" without asking questions or asking for explanations. The things the members of the family need, such as "the reassurance that the parents have made the right decision" and "the answers to their questions", can only be given by the medical staff who has actually been there through the struggle with illness and the death of the child