A pessoa idosa com fratura da extremidade proximal do fémur: necessidades emergentes na transição para casa

Abstract

Background: In the elderly, the occurrence of a fracture is a dramatic event that often requires hospitalization and surgical treatment, leading to a significant function and mobility reduction, which translates into functional dependence. Objectives: To characterize the needs felt by elderly with hip fractures on returning home. Material and Methods: A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with elderly with hip fractures who had undergone surgical treatment and belonged to a hospital in central Portugal. Bardin's content analysis was used, with the support of MAXQDA Analytic Pro 2022 software. This study was approved by an ethics committee. Results: Four categories related to perceived needs and their subcategories emerged from the analysis of the 15 interviews conducted: resources (technical aids, readaptation strategies, help from health professionals, help from the caregiver/family); training to return home (teaching and preparing the patient, teaching and preparing the family); information (care to be taken/strategies to adopt); activity training (training to get up and lie down in bed; sitting and walking). Conclusions: The needs of elderly with hip fractures when they return home are diverse. Knowledge of the inherent aspects can guide the actions of nurses to develop a well-structured and systematized intervention to respond to these needs, with an unequivocal translation into improved functional recovery and quality of life for these people.