Pertes et menaces perçues par les personnes âgées a l'unité de soins intensifs coronariens

Abstract

The number of elderly patients requiring care in intensive care units continues to grow. Little is known of how this particular group perceives their losses or infirmities and what members of this group consider to be threats to their physical, psychological or social well-being. Recognised high-stress situations, such as ICU treatment following a myocardial infarction, may be more stressful because of patient age. In an attempt to identify these perceived losses and threats, the researcher designed a questionnaire based on the Lazarus (1980) theory of psychological stress. The results of the study show that a high proportion of the questions not areas of concern for the elderly patient. The positive responses given were listed by degree of importance, spanning an range from actual fear of pain to personal preoccupations and fear of diminished capacity. Recommendations for nursing research and practice accompany this descriptive study.