Poster Presentation
Thursday, 20 July 2006
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Thursday, 20 July 2006
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
This presentation is part of : Poster Presentations II
Ethical Problems Related to Older Patients' Social Integrity in Long-Term Care Institutions
Sari Teeri, MSc, RN, Social Services and Health Care, Satakunta Polytechnic, Pori, Finland and Helena Leino-Kilpi, PhD, Nursing science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Learning Objective #1: describe ethical problems related to patients' social integrity, and to assess outcomes for differences between relatives and nurses.
Learning Objective #2: provide useful information for clinical practice, future research and education.
Background: In the future growing number of older people are in need of long-term care. The need for institutional care increases among people over 80 years old. These people are increasingly frail, many of them having impaired cognition and impaired physical functions. They find themselves in the new situation with diminished capacities and prospects. Appreciating the older patient’s past, previous lifestyle, as well as respecting relatives and assisting to social contacts have all been found to support social integrity. The aim of this paper is to describe and compare nurses and relatives views about ethical problems related to patient’s social integrity in long-term institutions. Methods: Data were collected with questionnaires from 222 nurses and 213 relatives (the response rate 76 %) in four long-term institutions in Finland and were analyzed statistically. The questionnaire included five sum variables: respect for family members, contacts with outside world, loneliness in institution, respect for lifestyle and recreation for patients. Results: According to nurses, patients’ social integrity is better maintained than thought the relatives. However, the vast majority of the relatives shared nurses’ opinion that relatives were respected; their views and opinions are taken seriously and heeded on patient care. Also, the patient’s previous lifestyle was described quite well respected. Mostly, the opinions of respondent are in contrast to loneliness. Patients were unnecessarily left on their own, and they had no contacts with other patients. The lowest social integrity scores were recorded for items measuring opportunities for recreational activities and entertainment. Conclusion: The loneliness is common problem for older patients in institutions. There is a need for interventions which help patients keep up social contacts and recreational activities, proving patients more active life. Doing nothing, waiting and sleeping could include the feeling of meaninglessness and threat patient’s integrity.

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