Abstract

It was the purpose of this study to identify the emotional needs of patients with infectious hepatitis through the use of nursing process studies. The information obtained, it was hoped, would be helpful in giving nurses better insight into the emotional needs of these patients and to give a basis for planning nursing care.

The descriptive survey was the method used; the tool, the nursing process study. Nursing care was given to six patients between the ages of 18 and 45 who had infectious hepatitis without other complications.

The nursing process studies were filled out by the investigator on each patient and in each nursing situation. The nursing process study composed of interaction recordings of nursing situations, analyzed in terms of the needs expressed by the patients, was used.

It was found that the need for power was expressed the most frequently in all the patients; this was followed by the need for worth, belonging, and prestige. The need for acceptance and love were expressed the least frequently.

The following are possible reasons why the need for power was expressed the most frequently: (1) most patients appear to become more helpless in illness, (2) each of the patients studied came from a background that would intensify this need, (3) there is no known medicinal aid for infectious hepatitis, (4) patients in barrier feel isolated, which adds to their sense of helplessness, and (5) perhaps there is some pathological factor connected with infectious hepatitis which contributes to the feeling of helplessness.

In comparison with Franklin's findings, the patient with infectious hepatitis expressed more emotional needs than the patient with gynecological problems.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

R. Maureen Maxwell

Second Advisor

Ruth M. White

Third Advisor

Elizabeth Kelchner Franklin

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1963

Date (Title Page)

6-1963

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Hepatitis A; Stress, Psychological

Type

Thesis

Page Count

vi; 94

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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