The Terminally Ill’s Perspectives on Good Death

• Main Authors: Tzu-Han Lin, 林子涵
• Other Authors: Chun-Kai Fang Ph.D.
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/64760509419785963122

碩士 === 國立臺北護理健康大學 === 生死與健康心理諮商系 === 105 === The research is a discovery on how the terminally ill construct their "good death" experience and the existential situation they find themselves in. Researcher invited twelve terminal patients to be research participants, collected data by in-depth interviewing which then analyzed with method of hermeneutic phenomenology. The results shows that, when the terminally ill talked about "good death", they inevitably touched upon three main dimensions: “Living in dying” (L), “experiencing the Existential self” (E), and “Dying in Living” (D). Dimension "Living in dying" includes minor subjects like, creating a life style, revisiting memories, maintaining self-identity, bonding with significant others, and maintaining relationships with health care providers. Dimension "experiencing the Existential self" includes minor subjects like, having positive response to illness, being ambivalent towards life and death, assuring autonomy, having sincere and true companions, and finding peace in faith or spiritual experience. Finally, Dimension “Dying in Living" includes minor subjects like, being informed of prognosis, facing death with a reasonable attitude, being aware of death through one’s own physical condition, and envisioning the moment of death. This research intends to provide a new way of understanding the terminally ill's perspectives on "good death" through the lens of hermeneutic phenomenology and existentialism. Researcher hopes to gain insights into how terminal patients experience and construct their last days of life. Key Words: the terminally ill, good death, hermeneutic phenomenology