Evaluating The Anger and Self-Care Ability Levels of Surgical Patients Experiencing Organ Loss
Hatice Merve Alptekin, Ümmü Yıldız FındıkObjective: This study was conducted to assess the levels of anger and self-care ability among surgical patients following organ loss.
Material and Methods: The data of this descriptive study were collected from 60 patients who underwent mastectomy, gastrectomy, cholecystectomy, and thyroidectomy at the University Hospital, General Surgery Clinic of a state university between December 2016 and April 2017. A personal information form, the trait anger and anger expression scales, and the exercise of self-care agency scale were used to collect data. The scales used in the study were applied to the patients twice (before the operation and during the discharge period). The researcher collected the data by using the face-to-face interview technique.
Results: The mean age of the patients (n=60) was 54.6±13.2, 68% (n=41) were female, 90% (n=54) were married, and 65% (n=39) were literate. The results of the study showed that the level of trait anger was higher before the operation in patients undergoing thyroidectomy and after the operation in those undergoing gastrectomy (p<0.01). Anger levels increased in those undergoing gastrectomy and mastectomy and decreased in those undergoing thyroidectomy and cholecystectomy after the operation (p<0.01). In addition, the postoperative self-care agency of the patients undergoing cholecystectomy was high (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Organ loss increases the anger level of patients and decreases their self-care agency. Recommendations for the planning and implementation of nursing care practices to reduce the anger of surgical patients who experience organ loss and to increase their self-care agency must be put in place.
