Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
J Neurosci Nurs. 2012 Feb;44(1):2-14. doi: 10.1097/JNN.0b013e31823ae4f9.
Despite the prevalence of women caring for stroke survivors, relatively little research has focused specifically on the experience and needs of informal female caregivers of stroke survivors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the experience of female caregivers who care for an adult family member who has experienced a stroke within the previous year using a qualitative methodology. A sample of 46 female caregivers of stroke survivors completed a demographic form and responded to open-ended written questions exploring their experiences as caregivers and how they coped with changes in their lives during the first year after the stroke. Four concepts emerged from the data: losing the life that once was, coping with daily burdens, creating a new normal, and interacting with healthcare providers. Findings suggest that female caregivers of stroke survivors grieve the life that they once shared with the stroke survivor and struggle to cope with multiple family and work demands while trying their best to interact with healthcare providers to attain the best possible care for their loved ones. Recognizing the unique challenges of female caregivers of stroke survivors may help nurses provide better support and resources to meet their needs.
尽管女性照顾中风幸存者的现象很普遍，但相对较少的研究专门关注中风幸存者的非正式女性照顾者的体验和需求。因此，本研究的目的是使用定性方法描述在过去一年中照顾成年家庭成员中风的女性照顾者的体验。一个由 46 名中风幸存者女性照顾者组成的样本完成了一份人口统计学表格，并回答了开放式书面问题，探讨了他们作为照顾者的经历以及他们如何在中风后第一年应对生活中的变化。从数据中出现了四个概念：失去曾经的生活、应对日常负担、创造新的常态和与医疗保健提供者互动。研究结果表明，中风幸存者的女性照顾者为曾经与中风幸存者共同度过的生活感到悲痛，并努力应对家庭和工作的多重需求，同时尽力与医疗保健提供者互动，为亲人获得尽可能好的护理。认识到中风幸存者女性照顾者的独特挑战可能有助于护士为满足他们的需求提供更好的支持和资源。
