Experiencing Hospitalization

Question 1

●What is the importance of learning about the hospital environment?

Answer 1

can affect pt health. foreign environment

Patients are “removed” from their own world and daily life/habits and are forced to “fit” within the culture of a hospital.

Question 2

What is the importance of learning about patients’ experiences in the hospital?

Answer 2

their experience is connected to their health and can affect it.
positive experiences are related to the relationship pt has with staff and communication

Question 3

What situations arise if one must share a room with another individual?
How might one feel to share a room? Or be in an isolated room all alone?

Answer 3

sometimes pt have to share rooms with a stranger.

sometimes being in a private room can be isolating and scary for certain patients if they are forced to be in isolation for medical reasons. the patient cannot socialize when they are in this scenario.

Question 4

ID bracelts/hospital attire and its effects on patient?

Answer 4

it is dehumanizing for the pt to wear the bracelet, they are seen as just a number.

ID band is used for pt safety in order to give the right treatment to the right person

hospital gown is not private (open back). it does not belong to patient, it is provided by the hospital.

Question 5

Effects of medical equipment in room?

Answer 5

this affects pt body image, emotional state. the foreign equipment is scary for them.

it can be uncomfortable and limit the patient’s freedom

scary environment, that might make pt uncomfortable

Question 6

ways in which nurse connected with patient?

Answer 6

nurse shared a bit of their life with patient.

nurse made patient feel like they were their only patient.

staff was cheerful, used humour, kind, compassionate.

tailoring needs to a specific patient (customize care).
feelings that pt described: felt safe.. (initial feelings; fear, frustration)

Question 7

Feelings a patient may experience about hospitalization/illness

Answer 7

Anxiety
Helplessness
Shock
Denial
Anger
Withdrawal
Powerlessness

Question 8

Hospitalization /Illness can be associated with?

Answer 8

Pain
Disability
Death
Worry about family, children, friends, job, house, finances and education
Loss of autonomy
Loss of sense of self, control, security, & identity
Role adjustment & role reversals

Question 9

The 4 main threats of hospitalization

Answer 9

Powerlessness
Dependency
Depersonalization
Loneliness

Question 10

Nurses can increase patient power/control by?

Answer 10

Provide explanations (eg. regarding procedures, how incisions are healing)
Allow patient to express feelings
Encourage patient to participate in own care (eg. hygiene)
Do not use medical jargon to provide explanations
Clarify patients’ understanding/perceptions of the situation
Give time for patient to absorb new information

Question 11

What is Depersonalization?

Answer 11

When a person is seen more as an illness than as a total or whole human being

EX: not closing curtain

Question 12

Nurses can decrease depersonalization by?

Answer 12

See the world through the patient’s “eyes”
Introduce yourself
Always use patient’s preferred name
Do not talk “down” to patients
Promote personal pictures & belongings
Consider patient’s developmental stage-aspects of patient’s life affected by hospitalization

Question 13

Impact of illness on family?

Answer 13

Anxiety
Shock
Denial
Anger
Withdrawal

Question 14

FACTORS AFFECTING THE EXPERIENCE OF HOSPITALIZATION/health?

Answer 14

gender, age, culture, socioeconimic state, environment, biological factors, developmental state

Question 15

In Shattell’s article (2005), there are 3 prominent themes patients experience in the acute care (hospital) environment:?

Answer 15

1) Disconnection versus Connection
2) Fear versus Less Fear
3) Confinement versus Freedom

Question 16

Disconnection vs. Connection?

Answer 16

+ human interactions ↑ security & power in an environment described as sterile, disorienting & untrustworthy

Friendly & encouraging nurses ↑ comfort & feelings of being cared for

Many + connections were made by non-verbal actions

make or break a patient’s stay

Question 17

A nurse who is… WILL PROMOTE A POSITIVE NURSE-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP

Answer 17

Caring
Friendly
Attentive
Efficient
Organized
Use positive non-verbal responses
When the nurse sees the patient not for just an intervention but to see if the patient needed anything or to spend non-intervention time with them

Question 18

Patient feels disconnected when nurse is:

Answer 18

Not friendly
Not gentle
Not attentive
Don’t care
Don’t want to help
Ignored needs
Acted angry 
Acted frustrated

Question 19

Fear vs. Less Fear

patient fear in hospital is due to?

Answer 19

Vulnerability
Health/Illness disability
Powerlessness

Patients describe fear as “being alone, at risk, insecure & out of control”

Attentiveness of family, nurses & doctors ↑ feelings of safety & security

Nurse who “check in” with their patients ↓ fear

Nurse advocacy(spokesperson for patient) also ↓ fear

Question 20

Confinement vs. Freedom

Aspects of the Hospital Environment Which Provide a Sense of Freedom are:

Answer 20

Nurses being “right there for the patient”
Wide open spaces
Nurses “checking in”
Positive relationships with staff
Windows to provide a temporary escape from the sights and sounds of the hospital
Keeping patient doors open

Question 21

Implications for Nursing Practice

Answer 21

how a nurse behaves directly relates to the patient hospital experience

positive experience with staff = positive hospital experience

patient’s want brief and frequent contact

should encourage family members to visit