TY - JOUR
T1 - Managing the secrets of dying backstage
T2 - The voices of nursing home staff
AU - Oliver, Debra Parker
AU - Porock, Davina
AU - Oliver, David B.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - The project analyzed staff descriptions of undocumented care given to dying nursing home residents. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nurse aids, and social service designees were interviewed using an unstructured interview guide. Transcripts were coded by two members of the team and a thematic analysis was guided with the theoretical framework of Erving Goffman's dramaturgical model of social interaction. Analysis of interview transcripts revealed practices related to end of life care that went undocumented. Viewed through the lens of Goffman's theoretical model, this undocumented care revealed "secrets" related to socialization processes, communication, tension, superstitions, and interactions between staff and dying residents. Findings show that while dying is not formally acknowledged in the nursing home setting, staff experiences the reality of death and informally responds to the special needs of residents.
AB - The project analyzed staff descriptions of undocumented care given to dying nursing home residents. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nurse aids, and social service designees were interviewed using an unstructured interview guide. Transcripts were coded by two members of the team and a thematic analysis was guided with the theoretical framework of Erving Goffman's dramaturgical model of social interaction. Analysis of interview transcripts revealed practices related to end of life care that went undocumented. Viewed through the lens of Goffman's theoretical model, this undocumented care revealed "secrets" related to socialization processes, communication, tension, superstitions, and interactions between staff and dying residents. Findings show that while dying is not formally acknowledged in the nursing home setting, staff experiences the reality of death and informally responds to the special needs of residents.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35448964715&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2190/3P8G-5JAD-J2NF-BKGK
DO - 10.2190/3P8G-5JAD-J2NF-BKGK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:35448964715
SN - 0030-2228
VL - 53
SP - 193
EP - 207
JO - Omega
JF - Omega
IS - 3
ER -