Abstract

A causal-comparative study was done in a county hospital using twenty subjects to determine if the ''unprepared" primigravida patient in active labor will experience less pain if given instructions to aid relaxation. It was hypothesized that the "unprepared" primigravida patients receiving continuous nurse attendance plus instructions to aid relaxation by (1) breathing techniques, and (2) body positions would show less evidences of pain, tension and anxiety during the first and second stages of labor than the group of patients which received only the continuous nurse attendance.

Two devices, (1) a structured observation, (2) a questionnaire with fixed-alternative questions, were used to compute a value which could be analyzed to test the hypothesis. Data collected was statistically analyzed by an analysis of variance method. The hypothesis was rejected. Factors which may have influenced the findings are: (1) the tools did not measure the pain, fear and anxiety behavior and perception accurately, (2) the bias of the researcher, (3) the many factors related to the pain perception, (4) the small number of patients and heterogeniety[sic] of the sample group, (5) the causal variable selected and used, (6) county hospital patients, and (7) values assigned to observation and responses. The findings suggest: (1) an accurate evaluation of emotional responses during labor is difficult, (2) the patient thinks of the labor and delivery experience as "satisfactory" and expresses the pain as moderate or severe eight to twenty-four hours after delivery, (3) the supplementary data showed more statistical difference between the groups than data analyzed to test the hypothesis. Recommendations for further study would include a larger sample with modifications and refinements of methodology. Suggestions for further study would include body positions, verbal suggestions, and nurse attendance only during the contraction.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Clarice Woodward

Second Advisor

Winifred M. Edwards

Third Advisor

Sadie Sinclair

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1965

Date (Title Page)

9-1965

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Labor; Obstetric Nursing

Type

Thesis

Page Count

vi; 71

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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