Geriatric Nursing Commons^™

Veteran Specific Risk Factors For Delirium, Allison Perkins

Dissertations

Purpose/Aims: This study explored the relationships between military characteristics such as combat experience, mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), depression, anxiety and substance use disorder (SUD), physical comorbidities such as coronary artery disease (CAD), other risk factors, and delirium diagnosis among hospitalized veterans.

Background: Delirium is a common disorder experienced by 25% of all hospitalized adults 65 years and older. No published studies to date have examined whether combat, TBI and PTSD are associated with the incidence of delirium in the hospitalized veteran.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional cohort design with a sample size …

Pain And Spiritual Distress At End Of Life, Kathryn Lee Robinson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between unmanaged pain and spiritual distress in adults newly admitted to hospice.

Background/Rationale: Current evidence supports the presence of a positive relationship between increased physical pain and spiritual distress for those with advanced cancer and/or receiving palliative care services. Nonetheless, spiritual distress remains a relatively understudied area; anecdotally, assessment and management of physical symptoms often take precedence over interventions for spiritual distress in patients at end of life (EOL) on hospice. Research is needed to examine the relationships between physical pain, spiritual distress, and other relevant variables specific to …