|
|
Quality of life in patiens after catheter ablation
KOCMICHOVÁ, Jana
Theoretical Foundations Catheter ablation is an intervention focused on targeted removal of or damage to an area that causes arrhythmias. This intervention began to be performed at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s because it had been found that treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs was expensive and the drugs had to be taken throughout patients' lives. Thanks to its high success rate and low risk of complications, it has been used in the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. At present, the success rate is around 75 %, and the intervention sometimes needs to be repeated to achieve its desired effect. Objectives of the thesis The first objective was to find out whether patients with a history of catheter ablation changed their personal and professional lives. The second objective was to map out which areas of the patients' live were affected most by the catheter ablation treatment. The third objective was to find out about differences in the patients' lives before and after catheter ablation. Research questions V1: In what areas are the patients' lives limited most? V2: What changes have occurred in their lives after catheter ablation? Methodology The research part of the thesis was carried out using a qualitative survey conducted by means of semi-structured interviews with patients suffering from arrhythmias. The total of 9 respondents, 5 males and 4 females, were interviewed. The information obtained was processed using programme Atlas.ti. The results are presented as networks created in this programme. Results The research questions can be answered using the data obtained from the respondents suffering from arrhythmias. The first research question was aimed at finding out in what areas the patients' lives were limited most. It was found out, through the semi-structured interviews, that the most limited area was personal life, in which arrhythmia caused most difficulties to the respondents during sports activities. Because of their health problems, most of the respondents limited their sports activities or abandoned them altogether in favour of their health. Other problems are caused during physical strain and under physical load. That was also the thing that the addressed respondents preferred to avoid. The respondents are also limited in the performance of their work, when the main cause of their problems is psychological stress, mental stress resulting in arrhythmia symptoms in the respective respondents. The second research question examined what changes occurred in their lives after catheter ablation. The changes that occurred related to the care of the family and the household in which they are able to engage in multiple activities. The respondents were able to pay more attention to their families by whom they are encouraged in the treatment. There was an overall improvement in their health, enabling better integration into everyday life. The most frequently mentioned area of changes was sport. During the period after catheter ablation, the respondents began to return gradually to their hobbies. Conclusion The thesis describes the restrictions that arrhythmia caused to the respondents and also the changes that have occurred in the individual respondents after catheter ablation treatment. The results can be used in practice in the education of patients who wait for the catheter ablation treatment and in subsequent measures using the prepared mind maps.
|
|
|
The Nurse´s Role in Care of a Patient with Hyperactive Bladder Syndrome
KOCMICHOVÁ, Jana
The overactive bladder syndrome is a common disease that does not occur only in women, but it is almost equally common in men. The incidence is 17% in women and 16% in men in Europe and the United States. Despite its high incidence, only a small proportion of patients suffering from this problem visit their physicians. They try to cope with the symptoms of the disease alone. Embarrassment may be the reason of this. It is also caused by worries to inform other people about one?s intimate problems. Therefore, the overactive bladder has a negative impact on the quality of life of individuals and, in some cases, it can lead to social isolation. This thesis consists of two parts. It has a theoretical part and a practical part. The following objectives were set in the practical part. The first objective was to map the specific aspects of nursing care for patients with the overactive bladder syndrome. The second objective was to define the most frequent problems in the nursing care for such patients. The third objective was directed at mapping the knowledge of the nurses at urology departments of the overactive bladder syndrome. Research questions and hypotheses were set for these objectives. The first research question was: What are the specific aspects of nursing care for patients with the overactive bladder syndrome? The second one was: Do patients have enough information about the overactive bladder syndrome? The third research question focused on whether patients are afraid to talk with their physicians about their problems. The hypotheses set were as follows. H1: Nurses at urology departments have sufficient knowledge of the overactive bladder syndrome and H2: Nurses provide information on the regime measures to patients with the overactive bladder syndrome. Both the hypotheses were confirmed by the research carried out. To achieve the set objectives, a semi-structured interview was prepared for patients with the overactive bladder syndrome and a questionnaire was compiled for nurses at urology departments. The responses received through the interviews have been processed in the form of case reports. The results of the questionnaire survey were recorded in charts. The output from this thesis is an information leaflet created for patients with the overactive bladder syndrome and a system of nursing diagnoses. This will serve the nurses at urology departments.
|
guest ::
RSS feed.