Table 2.
Categorical analysis of the representation of the patient's wishes in interviews with family caregivers
| Form of representation | Wish | Tendency of wish |
| Written advance directive | No artificial nutrition and hydration (P. 3) | Refusal of life sustaining treatment |
| No enduring life sustaining treatment, if a ‘normal’ life isn't possible (P. 1) | ||
| No tubes (P. 9) | ||
| Anticipatory oral statements | No life-prolonging treatment (P. 6) | |
| No tubes when I'm in a VS (P. 7) | ||
| No life in a wheelchair (P. 10) | ||
| No life-prolonging treatment in a condition like after a stroke (P. 11) | ||
| Presumed will based on the patient's prior identity | She wouldn't have wanted to live like this (P. 8) | |
| He wouldn't have been able to deal with illness or disability (P. 12) | ||
| If she could kill herself for example, jump from a bridge, she would do it (P. 11) |
| Presumed will based on the patient's survival | He is a ‘fighter’ because he survived a crisis (eg, a sepsis) (P. 4; P. 6) | Ongoing will to live |
| He is not dissatisfied with his situation, otherwise his condition would deteriorate (P. 9) | ||
| He decides himself: If he wants to die he will just die (P. 4; P. 9) | ||
| Presumed will based on the patient's current behaviour | She gives ‘signs’ (eg, open eyes) that she wants to live (P. 2a) | |
| Through participation in physiotherapy she shows her will to live (P. 3a) | ||
| He wants to live because he participates in the care process and reacts to appeal (P. 5) |
The type of representation of the patient's wish, the content of the wish and the tendency for or against life sustaining treatment are shown. The numbers mark the interview participants (not the patients).
VS, vegetative state.