Åbo Akademi University, Department of Caring Science s1

Åbo Akademi University, Department of Caring Science

BACKAS KAIJA: THE COMFORTING RESPONSE. A study of the patients experiences of the response on the patient complaint

Master's thesis, 124 pages, 6 appendices

Supervisors: M.Sc (health) Maarit Väisänen-Sotka

Professor Katie Eriksson

December 2007

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Keywords: patient complaint, suffering, suffering of care, dissatisfaction of care, response of care

The aim of this study is to illuminate the experiences of the patient, regarding the caring significance accounted for in the response given by the hospital in a patient complaint situation. The theoretical perspective is based on the caring tradition which has been developed at the Department of Caring Science at the Åbo Akademi University. The overall methodology is hermeneutical and design descriptive-explorative. The questions in the study are: 1. Pinpointing the basic reasons for the patient complaint? 2. Relating the experiences of the patient regarding the response from the hospital? 3. Analysing potential contents of such a response that would have satisfied the patient? Four informants, who had made patient complaints, were asked questions according to the theme method. The lodgers of the complaints had received care in the surgery wards in the Helsinki hospitals, belonging to the Hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa. The data has been analysed by method created by Ödman.

In order to receive a deeper understanding of the results of the study, the results were further reflected against the subject of dignity to interpret the patients` experiences.

The empirical study revealed that the patients had experienced suffering when receiving care during their stay at the hospital. The dissatisfaction experienced led to the complaints laid. One major source of suffering, when receiving care was attributable to the fact that the dignity of the patients had been infringed. One main incentive to lay the complaints was to ensure better care for oneself and his fellow patients.

The patients revealed the feeling of being dissatisfied due to the fact that the response from the hospital was a rational answer and exact account of what had actually occurred. Patientlagen (785/1992) provides the basic structure of the patients' rights to make a complaint and also the obligation of the hospitals give a response, but the same legal framework also enables a meeting of both parties. If the patient complaint is considered a gift, and the response as a caring comfort with a promise of better care, the caring act is enabled. If the main aim of the response is to alleviate the patients suffering, it is possible that the response would answer the patients` needs. An understanding of the possibilities contained in the response could contribute to a development of the response to the benefit of the patient.