INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PATIENTS AND NURSES DURING HEMODIALYSIS.
Contributors: University of Florida.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 116
Subjects: Psychology, Social.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The present study examined interactions between patients and nurses in a hemodialysis unit. The goal of the study was to identify behavioral characteristics of patients and nurses that are associated with patient compliance to hemodialysis fluid restrictions.

The Interaction Process Analysis (IPA) was employed to code the behavioral events that occur during the portion of the dialization procedure in which the patient is being connected to the dialysis machine. The behaviors examined for both patients and nurses were emotionally positive responses, emotionally negative responses, treatment related questions, and giving treatment related information. These events were examined with regard to patients' level of noncompliance to hemodialysis fluid restrictions. The only variables associated with patient noncompliance were emotionally positive and emotionally negative responses made by nurses. It was found that nurses emitted more emotionally positive and negative responses when interacting with noncompliant patients.

A post hoc analysis was conducted examining the relationship between the IPA response categories and nurses' length of time in dialysis nursing. Results indicated that length of time in dialysis nursing was negatively associated with nurses asking treatment related questions and positively associated with patients making emotionally positive and negative responses.

The following recommendations were made on the basis of the study results: (1) Hemodialysis nurses should receive training on patterns of noncompliance, the behavioral events that characterize nurse-patient interactions, and the basic principles of behavior change involved in compliance. (2) A noncompliance reduction program should be formally incorporated into the dialysis routine. (3) The program should include the systematic presentation of treatment related information contingent upon weight gain.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: B, page: 2232.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, 1986.

School code: 0070.