ABSTRAK
Merawat anggota keluarga yang mengalami sakit kronis memengaruhi kehidupan anggota keluarga secara fisik, psikologis, dan sosial. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui pengalaman keluarga dalam merawat anggota keluarga dengan penyakit kronis. Metode penelitian yang digunakan, yaitu kualitatif dengan pendekatan fenomenologi deskriptif. Partisipan merupakan delapan keluarga yang merawat anggota keluarga dengan sakit kronis. Tema yang ditemukan mencakup perubahan status kesehatan penderita, respons psikologis keluarga, upaya untuk mempertahankan kesehatan, dan harapan keluarga. Simpulan penelitian menggambarkan respons yang dialami oleh keluarga berbeda bergantung pada onset, lama, dan prognosis penyakit serta tahapan stres yang dialami keluarga. Perawat dapat memberikan manajemen asuhan keperawatan kepada keluarga berupa intervensi pendidikan kesehatan mengenai penyakit kronis, psikoedukasi, dan konseling keluarga dalam merawat penderita sakit kronis.ABSTRAK
The Experience of Family Caregivers of Persons with Chronic Illness. Caring for family member with chronic illness affects the lives of family physically, psychologically, and socially. The aim of this study was to describe the experience of family member in caring for family members with chronic illness. A qualitative design with descriptive phenomenological approach was chosen for this study. Qualitative interviews with eight families were performed. The results included a changed health status for the person with chronic illness, family psychological response, efforts of maintain health and family expectations about type and quality of health services. Conclusion of research illustrated that response experienced by families were different depending on the onset, duration, and prognosis of the diseases and the stage of stress experienced by the family. Thus nurses could provide nursing care to family with chronic illness which are consist of health education and counseling in order to caring for family members with chronic illness.