Lost voices: Using a case study to illustrate narrative inquiry: Research brief

Introduction: In this study, we tested the feasibility of using a narrative inquiry - three-dimensional space inquiry to elicit the experiences of an adult family member who shared her journey of care and advocacy for her husband situated in a dementia care unit. Background: The voices of family members are rarely heard in relation to their experiences about being included in or making decisions about their loved one's care. Shared decision-making has been an important patient- centred approach to nursing care since the 1990s; however, it is often not a reality in aged care facilities. Method: An interview was conducted with one adult family member using the three-dimension space that is inspired by narrative theorists to analyse the narrative. Results: Three themes were identified in the responses: communication between staff and family, staffing in the dementia care unit, and loss of voice and shared decision making. Conclusion: Results of this study indicate that narrative inquiry supports the telling of personal experiences around a problem and then using that information to raise awareness of those issues that are not always heard but which are essential for change in health care policy and practice.