How to decrease stress in patients

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Sep 12, 2007

thats a good topic. i always try to reduce stress by expalining to the pt what test they are having, what they can expect when having the test, and i try to find out how long they will have to wait ( esp when they are NPO) to take the test. i also explain as much as possible that is going on w/ their care. at my hospital we don't have any formal stress education for patients , but i wish we did. i can't wait to hear input from others.... thank you , bethany, RN

subee, MSN, CRNA · Sep 12, 2007

Hi everyone!
I am currently in an MSN program and for one of my classes we have to come up with a leadership idea and develop a plan to implement it. I am thinking of a topic like "Ways to reduce stress in patients (or families) of surgical/trauma patients."
My question is...do any of your hospitals have a formal program for reducing stress in your patients? I think this is a good topic to explore but I am not really sure to go about it, so I am wondering if it is being addressed in any other hospitals? Thanks

As you have written the above post, your topic is too large and too vague. "Stress reduction" means a lot of things to a lot of people. Is this to be a research topic? Then you really need to make your subset of subjects small and specific. Probably need to start to find out what works, and in who. Very complex questions and really useful topic.

NursingAgainstdaOdds · Sep 12, 2007

IMO, in that particular setting it is less about stress reduction, and more about stress management. A traumatic experience is inherently stressful, it's the nature of the beast. Rather than do battle with the level of stress, I prefer to teach patients and families how to effectively manage their stress. Discuss resources available, make more resources available, validate their experience...etc, etc.

leslie :-D · Sep 12, 2007

IMO, in that particular setting it is less about stress reduction, and more about stress management. A traumatic experience is inherently stressful, it's the nature of the beast. Rather than do battle with the level of stress, I prefer to teach patients and families how to effectively manage their stress. Discuss resources available, make more resources available, validate their experience...etc, etc.

i agree with this post, 100%.

stress mgmt is much more realistic.

while in the hospital, indeed, validate their experience.

enable as much autonomy as possible.

share all data with them, taking time to explain labs/results, other diagnostics, meds, reasons for sleeplessness, reasons for pain, anxiety, etc.

positive reinforcement will go a long way.

you want your pt being dc'd, knowing that he understood the reasons for the many inconveniences:

and that he will succeed in managing his recovery process at home.

best of luck.

leslie

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Sep 12, 2007

Consider reducing your topic to 1-2 concepts. For instance, anxiety related to pre-op, anxiety related to hospital admission. In fact, it would be a good topic to try to define ways nurses can assess for stress. Also, define stress itself. Remember the nursing process - if the nurse cannot determine a patient has stress then how can it be alieviated?

We do not have a formal program in our facility. I believe you are on to something.

pebbles, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2007

IMO, in that particular setting it is less about stress reduction, and more about stress management. A traumatic experience is inherently stressful, it's the nature of the beast. Rather than do battle with the level of stress, I prefer to teach patients and families how to effectively manage their stress. Discuss resources available, make more resources available, validate their experience...etc, etc.

I agree very much with this post as well.

In my hospital, we have a service run by psych nurses that have training and experience in dealing with post traumatic stress. A nurse can consult the service, and there are two or three consultation nurses available to come and talk with the pt about the specific issues of stress, trauma, coping, etc. They can do ongoing counseling if needed. Often just a visit or two to give the pt info about what the "norms" are and that it's normal to have flashbacks, methods of coping, that kind of thing is helpful enough. Validation is a huge part of that as well. They can also recommend medications to help with things like anxiety or delerium.

These consult nurses build on the teaching, etc that is being done by the bedside nurses already. But sometimes having a different voice, or someone that is just there to address their emotional issues and doesn't have to run off to take vitals down the hall, etc can be a great resource for patients.

anonymurse · Sep 13, 2007

Hi everyone!
I am currently in an MSN program and for one of my classes we have to come up with a leadership idea and develop a plan to implement it. I am thinking of a topic like "Ways to reduce stress in patients (or families) of surgical/trauma patients."
My question is...do any of your hospitals have a formal program for reducing stress in your patients? I think this is a good topic to explore but I am not really sure to go about it, so I am wondering if it is being addressed in any other hospitals? Thanks

Your goal is a good grade. Never lose sight of your goal. The basic winning approach to choosing research topics is to pick one that has more recent research done on it than any other topic. In this case, you ought to be able to use evidence to justify everything you suggest doing to living patients. Way out in last place is any consideration of whether you like a given topic. Look at the grading sheet for your assignment. I'd bet you're not going to find a point category for originality.