Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2011, 2(4):282-287

Rating the defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis Caregiver Role Strain

Věra Kolegarová¹, Renáta Zeleníková^2,*

¹ Home Care Agency, Šumperk

² Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava

Aim: The aim of the study was to find out how the family caregivers caring for their close relatives in the Czech Republic evaluate defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis Caregiver Role Strain.

Methods: Fehring's patient - focused clinical diagnostic validity model was used to clinical validation of the nursing diagnosis Caregiver Role Strain. The research was ongoing during the months August and September 2010 at Home Care Agency Victoria in region of city Šumperk. Fifty family caregivers, who take care for their family members more than 2 years, were chosen to the research sample. Twenty three caregivers (46 %) agreed with their including to the research.

Results: Caregivers classified in total the following eight defining characteristics as major ones: apprehension about possible institutionalization of care receiver, apprehension about care receiver's care if caregiver unable to provide care, apprehension about the future regarding care receiver's health, apprehension about the future regarding caregiver's ability to provide care, family conflict, uncertainty regarding changes relationship with care receiver, grief regarding changed relationship with care receiver, concerns about family members. Caregivers classified ten defining characteristics as minor ones: difficulty completing required tasks, difficulty watching care receiver go through the illness, difficulty performing required tasks, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, somatization, frustration, feeling depressed, disturbed sleep, stress.

Conclusion: Not all defining characteristics found in NANDA International classification system are significant for the selected group of caregivers.

Keywords: validation, nursing diagnosis, defining characteristics, caregiver role strain, caregiver

Published: September 30, 2011  Show citation