The Nursing Approach to the Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses at Medical Treatment Units

The topic of the diploma thesis is ``The Nursing Approach to the Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses at Medical Treatment Units{\crq}q. The probability of a nurse coming across a Jehovah{\crq}s Witness is considerable. Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses form a large group within the Czech Republic, and therefore the nursing staff should also be ready to treat patients who belong to this community. All this in compliance with the current trend of applying the thoughts of transcultural/multicultural nursing while treating the patients. The present thesis is a contribution to this very discipline. Its task was to investigate the specifics of the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community, and what the expectations of their members are when it comes to nursing care. With reference to the specifics and expectations, we attempted to detect the problem situations that may come up when caring for the members of the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community. All this information was investigated in order to be able to offer culturally sensitive nursing care to the patients who belong to the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community. For the empiric part of the thesis, four objectives were set that lead to three research questions and three hypotheses. Two research methods were chosen, the qualitative method: a semi-standardized dialogue with the respondents being members of the Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses; and a quantitative method: a questionnaire for the nursing staff of the medical treatment units. The conception of a Jehovah{\crq}s Witness in general is improved by the division of the information in the dialogue according to the Giger and Davidhizar transcultural nursing assessment model. For further clarification of the problem, questions concerning hospitalization and nursing staff were added. The results of the dialogues were drafted as case reports which were then categorized in transparent tables and charts. The questionnaire contained identification questions and questions clarifying the given problem. The remaining questions were aimed at direct or indirect verification of the hypotheses we have set. The outcome of the questionnaire investigation is introduced using tables and charts. The specifics of the approach of the nursing staff are summarized in a nursing care standard, which can be used by the nursing staff when caring for a client/patient who belongs to the Jehovah{\crq}s Witnesses. The thesis offers information on the Jehovah{\crq}s Witness community, and explains the singularities of the approach of the nursing staff towards them. The outcome of the thesis should serve as study material for the students of nursing disciplines, and at the same time we would appreciate it if it was published to become available to the professional community. The thesis should be a contribution to the improvement of the quality of nursing care