Date of Award

Spring 1991

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Fehring, Richard J.

Second Advisor

Stollenwerk, Ruth

Third Advisor

Frenn, Marilyn

Abstract

Transferring patients between units in a hospital is a often a daily occurrence for the staff. The patients transfer as changes take place in their health status that affect the acuity of care that they require. When a patient admitted with a myocardial infarction begins to improve, the general routine is to transfer that patient to a telemetry unit to continue with their convalescence as they no longer require the close monitoring of the Intensive Care Unit. Many of those patients experiencing a myocardial infarction are elderly. There has not been much research to date that specifically focuses on the older person experiencing an intrahospital transfer. There is evidence to support the use of structured teaching to help patients deal with various stresses of a hospital stay. The intent of this study is to examine the use of a structured guideline as a means of decreasing the stress that may be associated with the transfer process in a group of older patients. The phenomenon of stress associated with transfer as a focus for research developed from this writer's experience both as a staff nurse involved directly with transferring patients between units frequently in practice and as a graduate student in the Clinical Nurse Specialist role, through which one is able to follow the patients between units and assess their reactions to transfer.

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