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An Exploratory Study Of Terminal Syndrome, Phyllis Jean Adams

Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to establish the identity of a syndrome related to nursing care of the terminally ill patient, regardless of a malignant or non-malignant disease origin. The sample consisted of completed medical records of 15 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and 15 cancer patients. The commonalities between the two groups are: (1) Defining Characteristics--dyspnea, anxiety, abnormal breath sounds, dry skin, pale skin, pain, anorexia, presence of pressure sores, incontinence, and generalized edema; (2) Nursing Diagnoses--high risk for altered respiratory function, anxiety (individual and family), skin integrity (impaired and high risk for impaired), altered comfort: pain, high …