Abstract

A descriptive-comparative survey using content analysis of medical records has been done to determine the frequency with which emotional disorders are identified by medical personnel in the population hospitalized in small general hospitals in north-central Nebraska.

A systematic, random sample of medical records was taken from two hospitals arbitrarily included in the study on the basis of bed capacity and distance from mental health facilities.

Each medical record that was reviewed has been placed in a category based on whether an emotional disorder was identified in it by the medical personnel, or whether it contained recorded behaviors that could indicate the presence of an emotional disorder. Other factors that were examined include which indicators of emotional disorders were most often identified, by which professional level of medical personnel, and the type of intervention undertaken when an emotional disorder was diagnosed.

In hospital A 10% and in hospital B 6% of the records contained a primary or secondary psychiatric diagnosis. In hospital A 2% of the records contained a statement that the patient’s over-all problem was emotional. In hospital A 22% and in hospital B 14% of the records, that did not contain a psychiatric diagnosis or recognition of an over-all emotional problem, did contain a high number of recorded behaviors that frequently indicate the presence of emotional disorders.

The distance the hospitals were located from a mental health facility and the size of each did not appear to affect the frequency that medical personnel identified emotional disorders, or the type of treatment initiated when one was identified.

Registered nurses identified a higher total number of indicators of emotional disorders, and more indicators per record than did the physicians or licensed practical nurses.

The physicians identified hazardous events most frequently followed by indicators of psychosomatic disorders while registered nurses identified the indicators of psychosomatic disorders most frequently followed by the indicators of anxiety.

The majority of the patients who received a psychiatric diagnosis were treated with medication. Minimal evidence was found recorded concerning the use of mental health facilities.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Rachael M. Lee

Second Advisor

Alice S. Clements

Third Advisor

Clarence E. Carnahan

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1974

Date (Title Page)

9-1974

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Stress, Psychological; Hospitals -- Nebraska

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 129

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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