A Qualitative Study Exploring the Phenomenon of Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older Adults in the Context of Emergency Nursing Practice.

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to understand how nurses in the emergency department report their experiences of the phenomenon of loneliness and social isolation in older adults during acute hospital admissions. From the searching and appraisal of the literature, three themes emerged in relation to loneliness and isolation; health care utilisation, socio-demographic factors, and relationship to health. The aim of the proposed qualitative research is to gain a greater understanding into the perceptions and experiences of caring for older adults who experience feelings of loneliness and isolation. The proposed research will be carried out across the two emergency departments within NHS Lothian. Through semi-structured interviews, the subject area will be explored in great detail. Interviews will be conducted with nursing staff from the two departments. The findings from the study will add to the existing knowledge base, and potentially influence future research in nursing practice.