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Research note: Decision‐making processes, ethical dilemmas and models of care in HIV/AIDS health care provision
Author(s) -
Bennett Lydia,
Duke Jan
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
sociology of health and illness
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1467-9566
pISSN - 0141-9889
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9566.ep10934498
Subject(s) - health care , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , unit (ring theory) , nursing , medicine , health professionals , psychology , family medicine , mathematics education , economics , economic growth
The data reported heere is part of a larger study exploring the impact of HIV/AUDS on health care professionals. In this segment of the study, participants (16 nurses, 5 doctors and 3 social workers), from three hospital AIDS units were interviewed about the difficulties inherent in their work. Analysis of the transcript data indicated that the areas causing the greatest conflict and concern were thise surrounding the management of dying patients. A category identified in the data was the dis‐agreement about patient treatment. Non‐medical staf in one unit reported stress, frustration and conflicts about the discision‐making process with dying patients and expressed their discontent with the biomedical model of health care delivery. In contrast, staff in the other two inits, reported satisfaction with the management of patients and relief that patients were not ‘pushed’ to be treated. Accordingly, a model of care which focuses on the patient's needs and encourages a team approach to decision‐making, is recommended.