Futile care; concept analysis based on a hybrid model.

BACKGROUND Making decision about what kind of caring is entitled as futile care requires the presentation of a clear definition of such caretaking. OBJECTIVE To report an analysis of the concept of futile care. DESIGN The analysis in this research was carried out through hybrid model in three stages. At the theoretical stage:  a review of the available literature. At the work-in-field stage: semi-structured interviews. SETTING Data collection was on cancer unit and palliative care unit. PARTICIPANTS A total of 7 participants were recruited in the study. The inclusion criteria were: having at least a bachelor's degree in nursing, having at least 5 years of experience in critical care or cancer units, and being willing to participate in the study. RESULTS Three themes emerged: "low quality of life", "lack physiologic return to life" and "performing non-professional duties". CONCLUSION Futile care consists giving clinical cares irrelevant to a nurse's job and giving cares through which the return of patient would be impossible both physiologically and qualitatively.