[Physiological changes and related nursing care issues during hunger strike].
The use of hunger strike as a tool to assert grievances has been around for ages and has occasionally happened in the world. Hunger strikers' motives may differ, but their tool is the same--the voluntary refusal of food. Fasting not only results in body weight loss, but also in physiological and neurological function changes, and, of course, it may even threaten life. The health care of hunger strikers is complex. It involves medical staff, medical ethics and guidance for the management of the hunger strikers. Improper medical management may not only undermine the hunger striker's dignity but also risk further damage to his or her health. By understanding hunger strikers' physiological changes and related ethical issues, therefore, we aim to identify appropriate forms of nursing care management and guidance for the care of hunger strikers.
Hsieh
Yeu-Shan
YS
Department of Nursing, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201 Shih-Pai Road Section 2, Taipei 11217, Taiwan, ROC. ysshieh@vghtpe.org.tw
Chen
Shiu-Lien
SL
D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009732:Nursing Care