A Model for Supporting the Patient's Coping with Chronic Illness

Abstract

The focus of this literature study is the concept of coping from the perspective of nursing. For the analysis of Benner and Wrubel's model Fawcett's analytical structure was used. The paper describes how the nurse can use the model as a basis for guiding the patient towards successful coping with regard to well-being. The nurse interprets the experience of stress and assesses the coping requirements and the available coping resources on the basis of three questions: Coping with what? To what end? With what resources? An urgent complementary question should be how the patient copes with the illness-related stress. The nurse contributes to improving the well-being of the patient by understanding his or her perception of the illness situation and by supporting and reinforcing coping resources, mobilising hope and fostering a sense of meaning and coherence. All this is of particular importance when the illness is chronic. One conclusion deriving from the analysis is that the model needs to be completed with a clearer family perspective; another is that students and newly-qualified nurses need guidance and training in the interpretation of paradigm cases. Furthermore there is need for inductive, phenomenological research directed towards a deepening of Benner and Wrubel's model on the basis of patients' own experiences of stress, coping and caring.