2017 Volume 22 Issue 1 Pages 41-50
A pure tone audiometry was conducted for inpatients above the age of 65, followed by semi-structured interview tests. The sample was categorized into two groups: seven with normal hearing and 8 with hearing loss. Using KJ method, the authors deepened interpretation of the hidden meaning of the interview findings. Discussion was focused on the nurse-patient communication expected from the elderly with hearing loss by comparison with that of the normal hearing group.
The normal hearing group strongly felt that they were separated from their daily lives and experiencing “difficulty adjusting to ‘non-everyday’ living due to hospitalization, in which a nurse played a central role.” They expressed their “deep gratitude for the compassionate support of nurses.”
The hearing loss group experienced “difficulties due to limited body movement”, which they accepted with “resignation accompanied by a sense of helplessness.” The situations included “experiencing confusion with the frequent nurse rotations”, “managing to get along without assistance” or “pretending to be unconcerned about the inconveniences.”
Patients well recognized that they were obliged to “bear the burden of undesirable consequences” and, therefore, the accumulated communication failures due to hearing difficulties lead to their unconscious adoption of strategies such as “contriving to overcome difficulties” or “staying concerned with what is important.”
In order not to be physically and mentally exhausted, the patients expected “sensitive care from the patients’ perspectives” as well as “frequent confirmations of nurse-patient conversations” with deep concern for the hearing-disabled elderly people. Elderly with hearing loss expect “communication which can be interrupted midway through conversation” by their own initiative.
