title: A program to reduce fatigue in convalescing elderly adults.
abstract: This study is an examination of the influence of a fatigue reduction program on the level of fatigue experienced by elderly individuals convalescing in subacute units after lower extremity injury, surgery, or weakness. Fifty participants with a mean age of 81 were divided into two groups of 25 participants. The experimental group received a fatigue reduction program consisting of planned rest periods after bathing and therapy; high-protein, high-carbohydrate liquid supplement; and a 3-minute back rub at bedtime. Each participant's level of fatigue was tested soon after admission and 1 week later, and data were analyzed using the paired t test. The difference between the change in pre-test and post-test scores of the two groups was significant in all three measures of fatigue. The experimental group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in fatigue. The outcomes reinforced the value of nursing interventions that have been an integral component of nursing care from its beginning: promoting nutrition, alternating periods of activity and rest, and including a back rub in evening care.
authors.affiliation: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vollmer
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hermes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003289:Convalescence; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000601:surgery; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D012146:Rest; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins