Nursing Experience to Reduce Overload in a Foreign Spouse Primary Caregiver

Monday, 7 July 2008
Chia Ling Wu, RN , Nursing Department, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Keelung, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: By the results of the nursing experience could help with more foreign spouse and her family to promote and adapt a better life quality

Learning Objective 2: the nursing experience of a foreign spouse primary caregiver is short of family support system, focused on the physical, mental and social overload.

The purpose of this report is to present the nursing experience of a foreign primary caregiver, who took care of her bed-ridden father-in-law of stroke without the family support system, which is focused on the physical, mental, and social problems. The nursing care period was during May 23, 2006 and June 4, 2006. Using the Neumann systems model to guide the evaluation process, and through direct care, observation, and communication, the author concluded such health problems as sleep pattern disturbance, caregiver stress, and insufficient knowledge. The author used therapeutic communication, empathy, listening, and caring to establish good relationship with the case. By applying the professionalism and uniqueness of nursing care, the author provided suitable caring knowledge and skills. Based on the physical, mental, and social needs of the individual case, he rendered timely assistance for emotional comfort. Though the collaborations of the medical team members, proper referrals were provided and caring support systems were established, so that a healthy physical, mental, and social function can be maintained and the caring load can be reduced. It is also hoped that the experience gained here will be useful for nursing professionals to help foreign primary caregivers and their families to achieve better caring and improved quality of life.

Key word: caregiver load, foreign primary caregiver