Abstract:
This descriptive research has the following objectives: 1) To compare the
severity of abdominal distention of patients during the first 3 days after total
abdominal hysterectomy; 2) To study abdominal distention symptom management by
patients, doctors, and nurses; 3) To study abdominal distention outcomes which
affected daily life of patients during the first 3 days after total abdominal
hysterectomy; and 4) To study patients’ overall satisfaction with symptom
management by doctors and nurses based on the model of Dodd, et al. The sample was
100 patients in Gynecology Care Unit and Obstetrics Care Unit, Ramathibodi Hospital
during January – April 2008. The sample was chosen by purposive sampling based on
the selection criteria. Data were collected by using personal data records, abdominal
distention questionnaires, and symptom management evaluation forms which were
designed by the researcher after the review of related literature.
The study revealed that 1) On the first and the second day after the surgery,
abdominal distention of the sample was at a medium level with average scores of 6.39
(SD = 2.02) and 6.41(SD = 2.12) for days one and two respectively. As for the third day
after the surgery, abdominal distention of the sample was at a low level with the
average score of 4.48 (SD = 1.67). The average score of abdominal distention in
patients during the first 3 days after the surgery were statistically different at the
significance level of p< 0.001. 2) The most popular symptom management of patients
was to walk as much as possible whereas the most popular management of doctors and
nurses was to motivate the patients to walk or move as much as possible. As for
symptom management by using medicine, it was found that the patients were
prescribed Air-x and M.carminative. 3) Abdominal distention affected daily life of
patients after the surgery at a medium level. 4) The patients were highly satisfied with
received symptom management by doctors and nurses.