|
SECTION III. REACTION TO STRESS AND HOSPITALIZATION
1-21. INTRODUCTION
The patient who is entering a hospital is
under many emotional pressures. Fear of death, disfigurement, pain, or a prolonged
illness, and loss of control of the surrounding environment are just a few of the
emotional concerns being faced. People react to stress in many ways. The Practical
Nurse must be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and identify the
coping mechanisms being utilized by the patient in order to provide effective nursing
care.
1-22. FACTORS INFLUENCING WHETHER A PERSON
WILL SEEK OR AVOID PROFESSIONAL HELP
Some of the factors that influence a person
seeking or avoiding professional help are:
-
The degree and extent of symptom distress.
-
Expectation of return to health if
treatment is instituted.
-
Fear of diagnostic and treatment
procedures.
-
Fear of discovery of serious illness.
-
The self-concept that one is always
healthy.
1-23. FACTORS CAUSING STRESS IN THE HOSPITAL
Some of the factors that cause stress in the
hospital are:
Unfamiliarity of surroundings.
-
Having strangers sleep in the same room.
-
Having to eat cold or tasteless food.
-
Being awakened in the night by the nurse.
Loss of independence.
-
Having to eat at different times than
usual.
-
Having to wear a hospital gown.
-
Not having the call light answered.
|
The patient who is entering a
hospital is under many emotional pressures. |
|
|
Separation from spouse.
Separation from
family.
Financial problems.
Isolation from other people.
-
Having an unfriendly roommate.
-
Not having friends visit.
-
Having staff in too much of a hurry to
talk, or more importantly, listen.
Lack of information.
-
Not having questions answered by staff
members.
-
Having nurses or doctors who talk too
fast. Nervousness and preoccupation often make it difficult to
fully concentrate on what is being said. Needless to say, patients often have plenty on their
minds, so it is crucial that you explain things patiently and slowly and be prepared to
repeat instructions and explanations. Do not assume that because you have explained
something once, your job is done.
-
Not knowing the reasons for (or the
results of) treatments.
Threat of severe illness.
-
Fear that appearance will be changed
after hospitalization.
-
Being hospitalized after an accident and
suspecting the worst.
-
Thinking he/she may have cancer.
Problems with medications.
-
Having medications cause discomfort (that
is., chemotherapy).
-
Not getting relief from pain.
-
Not getting pain medication when needed.
1-24. STAGES OF THE ILLNESS EXPERIENCE
|
During Recovery, Rehabilitation or Convalescence,
the patient goes through a
process of resolving his/her perceived loss or impairment of function. |
|
|
Denial or
Disbelief in Being Ill.
-
Patient may avoid, refuse, or even forget
needed care.
-
Patient may appear to flee toward health
in trying to escape illness.
Acceptance of
Being Ill.
-
Becomes dependent on health care
personnel.
-
Focuses attention on symptoms and the
illness.
-
Gradually becomes less dependent.
Recovery, Rehabilitation, or
Convalescence.
-
May be a short or long period, depending
on how much the patient's life-style must change as a result of the
illness.
-
Patient goes through a process of
resolving his/her perceived loss or impairment of function.
1-25.
EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO ILLNESS AND HOSPITALIZATION
Fear.
-
An emotional response characterized by an
expectation of harm or unpleasantness.
-
Usually associated with behavior that
attempts to avoid or flee a threatening situation.
-
Patient is usually aware of the specific
danger and has some understanding into the reasons for the fear. Common indications of fear include:
Anxiety.
-
An emotional response characterized by
feelings of uneasiness and apprehension of a probable danger or
misfortune.
-
Patient who is anxious usually is unaware
of the cause of the anxiety.
-
Behaviors are similar to those seen with
the fear, but are not usually as dramatic.
-
Because the patient does not know its
specific cause, he/she usually focuses on the physiologic symptoms of
anxiety, to include:
Stress.
-
A state of strain or tension.
-
Occurs in situations, which require an
increased and often prolonged effort to adjust.
-
Any factor that disturbs the physical,
psychological, or physiological homeostasis of the body may be stressful.
-
As with fear, the body tries to rid
itself of the factor causing the stress.
-
Physical signs of stress include:
-
Ulcers.
-
Hair loss.
-
Insomnia.
Over Dependency or Feelings of
Helplessness.
-
Over dependency is a response
characterized by feelings of helplessness while trying to search for help
and understanding (to an extent beyond what is considered normal).
-
Helplessness is a response characterized
by feelings of being unable to avoid an unpleasant experience.
-
While healthy people may show some degree
of dependence on others during illness, this dependence often
increases to the point of being harmful to the patient.
-
The over dependent patient may be fearful
or angry.
1-26. CLOSING
There are as many reactions to illness as
there are patients. Your kindness and understanding will help your patient to go
through the hospitalization experience with a minimum of stress and anxiety.
The Brookside
Associates Medical Education Division is dedicated to the development and
dissemination of medical information that may be useful to medical professionals
and those in training to become medical professionals. This website is
privately-held and not connected to any governmental agency. The views expressed
here are those of the authors, and unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily
reflect the views of the Brookside Associates, Ltd., any governmental or private
organizations. All writings, discussions, and publications on this website are
unclassified.
© 2007 Medical Education
Division, Brookside Associates, Ltd. All rights reserved
Other
Brookside Products
Contact Us
Advertise on this Site
|
|
