Dying and caring on the edge: Taiwan's surviving nurses' reflections on taking care of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome

Shih, Fu-Jin; Gau, Meei-Ling; Kao, Ching-Chiu; Yang, Chyn-Yng; Lin, Yaw-Sheng; Liao, Yen-Chi; Sheu, Shuh-Jen

doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2006.08.007

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Volume 20, Issue 4 , Pages 171-180, November 2007

Dying and caring on the edge: Taiwan's surviving nurses' reflections on taking care of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome

Fu-Jin Shih, RN, DNSc
- College of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Meei-Ling Gau, RN, PhD
- Graduate Institute of Nurse Midwifery, National Taipei College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Ching-Chiu Kao, RN, MSN
- Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University–Municipal Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Chyn-Yng Yang, RN, MSN
- Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Yaw-Sheng Lin, PhD
- Department of Clinical and Counseling Psychology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Yen-Chi Liao, RN, MSN
- Graduate Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
- Department of Nursing, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan 111, R.O.C.
- Corresponding authors. Yen-Chi Liao is to be contacted at Graduate Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C., and Department of Nursing, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan 111, R.O.C. Tel.: +886 2 2833 2211x2351. Shuh-Jen Sheu, School of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 2 2826×7271; fax: +886 2 2822×9973.
Shuh-Jen Sheu, RN, PhD
- School of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Received 19 August 2005; received in revised form 19 May 2006; accepted 10 August 2006.

Abstract

In 2003, Taiwan's nurses were terrified by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and four of them sacrificed their life in the course of their work with SARS patients. This study attempted to identify the stage-specific difficulties encountered by Taiwan's surviving frontline nurses during the anti-SARS process. A two-step within-method qualitative triangulation research design was used to obtain the in-depth and confidential thoughts of 200 participants during the precaring, tangible caring, and postcaring stages. Six major types of stage-specific difficulties with and threats to the quality of care of SARS patients were identified according to each specific stage of the caring process. Four themes were further explored; these are discussed to provide a background context in obtaining better understanding of the multifaceted needs of nurses during this crisis. Consequently, a conceptual framework was developed to depict this complex phenomenon.