Date of Award
Spring 1978
Document Type
Thesis - Restricted
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Nursing
Abstract
The behavior of a thirty-three month old boy hospitalized for the treatment of a ruptured appendix was observed by the investigator who functioned in the role of a participant-observer. Data were collected in the process of giving nursing care and process recordings were used to describe and record the subject's behavior. The behavior was analyzed and categorized into two major phases. Phase one or the acute illness phase was the first eight days of hospitalization and was defined in relation to events that were indicators of acute illness. Phase two or the recovery phase was the last ten days of hospitalization and was defined in relation to events that were indicators of returning health. The subject's behavior during the acute phase closely paralleled the findings of Anna Freud as there was a total disinterest in the environment and a persistent and constant need for the mother's presence and touch. (Psychoanalytic Study of the Child 7 (1952) :71) The subject's behavior also suggested devastation which was consistent with that described by Robertson. (Young Children in Hospital, 1970) During the recovery phase, as mobility was increased, the subject's interest in the environment and his autonomous function increased while his tactile needs and seeking behavior decreased.
Recommended Citation
Roehr, Jean Ann, "A Description of the Behavior Manifested by a Thirty-Three Month Old Boy Hospitalized for a Ruptured Appendix" (1978). Master's Theses (1922-2009) Access restricted to Marquette Campus. 3508.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/theses/3508