NURSING ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE RECOVERY PROCESS AND MOTIVATION FOR RECOVERY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS AFTER SURGERY

The purpose of this study was to assess how nursing assistance should be provided to promote motivation for recovery in elderly patients who have undergone surgery. Eleven elderly patients who had undergone laparotomy were interviewed on how they became conscious of their recovery and what supported and motivated them in the process. We analyzed their memory of the experience of surgery to identify the positive effects of motivation for recovery. Their consciousness started with the sense of relief that they survived and returned from the operating room. Most of them answered that starting to drink of water and to eat food made them conscious of the process of recovery. Using the toilet, bathing, walking and other activities to satisfy their physiological needs and expand their ADL convinced them that they were recovered. The greatest joy of recovery was felt when their doctors informed them that were going to be discharge. They felt supported and encouraged by family, their own skill at coping with anxiety, trust of physicians and informed consent by physicians, trust in nurses, past experience in overcoming surgery and/or other difficulties, support by peers and friends, belief and faith and discharge to home. The subjects described trust in nurses by saying that they were close to patients and supported their daily living. The nursing support that increased their motivation for recovery was : (1) assessment of adaptation and coping skill of elderly patients, (2) establishment of trustful relationship with patients and informed consent, (3) mobilization of human resources including family members, and (4) provision of nursing care, which matches the post-surgery level of adaptation. It was also found that positive review of their experience of surgery provided them with good opportunity to develop coping and adaptation.