The serious and life threatening nature of acute/critical illness in frail elders often necessitates use of advanced technology for diagnosis and treatment. Physical and/or chemical restraints are frequently used to prevent self-removal of technologic devices, termed """"""""treatment interference."""""""" Existing research suggests that agitation, anxiety, confusion, and discomfort may be factors contributing to treatment interference; however, a complete description or explanation of treatment interference in hospitalized elders is lacking. A gap exists in knowledge about the ways nurses respond to treatment interference in hospitalized elders. Alternatives to restraint use for the prevention of treatment interference in technologically complex environments has been unexplored. The purpose of the proposed study is to examine the circumstances whereby elderly patients remove or attempt to remove technologic devices and nurses' responses to this common, but perplexing, clinical problem. Specifically, this study aims to produce a grounded theory that: 1) describes the process of """"""""treatment interference"""""""" in critically ill elders, 2) contributes to an understanding of the meaning of self-removal of technologic devices, and 3) provides a framework for the identification of the most effective, humanistic, and acceptable nursing responses to treatment interference.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31NR007230-02
Application #
2546400
Study Section
National Institute of Nursing Research Initial Review Group (NRRC)
Program Officer
Armstrong, Nell
Project Start
1997-09-30
Project End
Budget Start
1997-09-30
Budget End
1998-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pennsylvania
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
042250712
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104