A Comparative Study on the Nurses' Role between Japan and the United States for the Improvement of Clients' Quality of Life

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A dramatic development of medical technology made complicated medical treatment possible, and such a development heightens expectation for nursing among people concerned. Authers have tackled to make use of this research of 'COMFORT' to raise the quality of life (QOL) of those patients who spend life in the environment in which they take advanced medical treatment or ones who put medical instruments on while live in home. Following is interim summary of our achievement in fiscal 1996.1. Definition of Comfort.Comfort is defined as nursing practice which helps patient in three ways.Help patient 1) to releave from axiety.2) to feel easy.3) to heighten QOL.The 'comfort' is a nursing practice to help patient, however, depth of research of the nursing practice is in the difference in methodology to perform among different subjects.2. Progress of the InvestigationNinety-six items of content of the investigation in Japan and the US had been confirmed by July 1996. The content was determined, s … More o that the investigation will be done with the same view point while considering cultural difference between Japan and the US.Upon implementation, we obtained agreement of subject hospitals and subject patients of investigation. We also held meetings for interviewers beforehand and held orientations about methods of interview at institutes when they required.3. Results of the Investigation.Subjects in the US are one hundred fifty-eight patients who use hospitals, home doctors, clinics, and doctor offices. Subjects in Japan are two hundreds eighty-eight patients who use six polyclinic (general) hospitals which spread over prefectures. The investigation still continues, so this is a summary for the interim report. The result indicates that these subjects from both countries are highly interested in items which are related to life-support and the nursing care has already been performed. However, in spite of high interest by patients, the living environment of the patients by then hasn't made a point. The differences between two countries are thought to be methods for make contact and for expression. How these are related to cultural background will be a future assignment, but it is clear that comfort is deeply related to fulfilllment (sufficiency) of basic needs. Less