Facing uncertainty and possible death: the Christian patients' experience

Muslim women's experiences of suffering in Jordanian intensive care units: a narrative study

This paper explores Muslim women's experiences of suffering in Jordanian intensive care units. A narrative approach was employed to access women's stories of their critical illness. Sixteen women who had spent at least 48 hours in intensive care were recruited from two hospitals in a Jordanian city and took part in between one and three interviews over a six-month period. Women's accounts of suffering were pervaded with physical, social, spiritual and technological themes. Pain was a central strand in the women's accounts and was experienced often as severe, overwhelming and disturbing to their sleep. The sudden onset of illness, the unfamiliar ICU environment and feeling of uncertainty made it difficult for the women to interpret their experiences. Religious beliefs and cultural norms helped the women make sense of their suffering. Social support, especially from the family, was reported by the women to be essential: a lack of social support was seen as a symbol of death. This study emphasises the importance of looking at a patient who is critically ill as a whole person within the context of their cultural, spiritual and biographical milieu.

Mending Broken Hearts

This research synthesis analyzed research on spirituality in cardiac illness from 1991 to 2004 to identify progress, gaps, and priorities for research. Articles were retrieved from PubMed and CINAHL. Twenty-six studies met inclusion criteria. Moody's Research Analysis Tool, Version 2004, was used to analyze studies. Lack of conceptual model and universal definition of spirituality are major knowledge gaps. A proposed conceptual model is presented.

Fear and anxiety in patients at different time-points in the coronary artery bypass process

The purpose of this study was to examine fear and anxiety of coronary artery bypass patients at different time-points in the coronary artery bypass process and changes between different time-points. Patients (n = 171) from one university hospital completed questionnaires while awaiting surgery at home, in hospital the evening before surgery and 3 months later. The Bypass Grafting Fear scale was developed to measure fear. Anxiety was measured using state-trait-anxiety inventory and HAD. The highest levels of fear and anxiety were measured in the waiting period to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Compared with the waiting period, fear and anxiety levels dropped in hospital and 3 months later. Female gender was related to change in fear and HAD anxiety. Marital status and vocational education were related to changes in STATE-A. Age under 55 years was related to higher TRAIT-A especially in the recovery period. These findings warrant concern for fear and anxiety in patients awaiting CABG, especially women and patients who do not have partner relationship.

Social support and its relation to fear and anxiety in patients awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting

The purpose of this study was to ascertain social support resources available for patients awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and the effect of social support on their fear and anxiety. A postal questionnaire was sent to 270 patients awaiting CABG in one hospital, 207 of whom responded. Norbeck's Social Support Questionnaire (NSSQ) was used. The quality of basic cardiac information (QBCI) and the social support wanted (WSS) by patients were measured with an instrument developed for this study. Fear was measured with the Bypass Grafting Fear Scale (BGFS) developed for this study. Anxiety was measured with Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The results were analysed using frequency and percentage distributions, cross-tabulation, non-parametric tests and logistic regression. Heart patients' spouses provided the most emotional and tangible aid. Low emotional support from the social network was associated with high anxiety. Half the patients rated the quality of basic information as good or excellent. Those who perceived the quality of information to be excellent experienced mild fear. Those who displayed high fear wanted informational support from nurses more often than patients with lower fear. We conclude that the fear and anxiety of patients awaiting CABG are connected with their social support resources.

Fear and in-hospital social support for coronary artery bypass grafting patients on the day before surgery

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the amount of in-hospital social support received by coronary artery bypass grafting patients and the impact of this support on their feelings of fear and anxiety. As adapted from Kahn's theory, social support was understood as emotional, informational and tangible support. The bypass grafting fear scale was developed to measure the fear, and the hospital anxiety and depression scale and the state anxiety inventory were used to measure the anxiety. Data were collected pre-operatively with a questionnaire from in-patients (N=193) and analysed using logistic regression analysis and one-way ANOVA. The majority of patients received plenty of social support from nurses and a great deal of multiprofessional counselling. When the amount of social support was high, patients experienced lower levels of fear and anxiety. It is concluded that social support from nurses can effectively reduce pre-operative fear and anxiety, but that the amount of support should be high.

Weaving the fabric of spirituality as experienced by patients who have undergone a coronary bypass surgery

When one is faced with a life-threatening event, spiritual issues become extremely important. The depth of one person's suffering is a unique experience. The relationship that developed between the interpretation of the answers of the coronary artery bypass patients and self-interpretation were the two directions in which this hermeneutic research moved forward within the hermeneutic circle. Central implications of the concept of spirituality emerging from this study are spirituality as meaning through gaining a new appreciation of life and health, spirituality as an inner strength through love and faith and in an ontological sense, spirituality as an inner strength through suffering and desire. Suffering invites one into the spiritual domain. Indeed, this concept raises important considerations for the development of caring knowledge about spirituality.

Gender differences and fears in patients awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting

The study aimed at ascertaining the gender differences and fears among patients awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting. Data were collected using a mailed questionnaire from patients (n=207) scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting at one hospital. Intensity of fear was measured on a 10-point scale including 12 objects of fear. The results showed that demographic data, lifestyle and functional capacity differed between the sexes. Patients' fears differed with respect to their objects and intensity, with women reporting more intense fears. Men also had fears, but the objects of fear differed from those in women. Apart from gender, the intensity of fear was associated with physical exercise, emotional problems and depression. Nursing interventions could be developed to meet the different needs for information and support, especially among women but also among men, to relieve their fears during the wait for coronary artery bypass grafting.