Sammanfattning
Background: The daily life in nursing
homes is institutionalized involving losses
such as privacy, self-determination, autonomy
and affiliation. However, meaning, hope
and self-transcendence are potential health
resources in cognitively intact long-term nursing
home patients.
Aims: The purpose of this study was twofold;
1) to describe the symptom burden among cognitively
intact nursing home patients, and 2) to
explore the relationships between the study
variables nurse-patient interaction, meaning,
hope, self-transcendence, anxiety, depression,
global and spiritual well-being in this population.
This article presents some key findings from
this study, from which 19 different peer-reviewed
articles have been published, and discusses
knowledge gained from this sample.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was
applied, and data were collected during
2008–2009 among 202 patients in 44 nursing
homes in Mid-Norway. Symptom severity was
described by means of descriptive statistics.
Based in theory and empirical evidence four
hypotheses were tested by means of seven
different SEM-models (structural equations
modelling).
Results: The symptom burden was high;
fatigue 56%, pain 49%, constipation 43%,
dyspnea 41%, sleep problems 38%, loss of
appetite 25%and vomiting, nausea 18%,
anxiety 12 % and depression 30%. The measurement
models were tested and then applied
in seven different SEM-models. The details of
the SEM analyzes are presented in the individual
scientific publications. The nurse-patient
interaction showed a significant effect on the
patient´s hope, meaning, self-transcendence,
anxiety and depression. Based in the results a
tentative nursing theory is presented.
Conclusion: The nurse-patient interaction
is essential for health and well-being among
cognitively intact long-term nursing home patients.
By consciously and competent use of the
nurse-patient interaction the patient´s experience
of meaning, hope, self-transcendence
and global well-being can be promoted. The
terms of hope, meaning, self-transcendence,
nurse-patient interaction and well-being, as
well as the relationships between them, outline
a fruitful theoretical perspective for nursing
home care, and should be emphasized in the
health professional education.