What does mutual interdependence really imply?

The lived experience of relationships after major burn injury.
Asgjerd L Moi and Eva Gjengedal (Author in bold from the Department of Global Health and Primary Care, (UiB)).   J Clin Nurs 2014 Jan7

A major burn injury can result in dramatic changes to a person’s preburn appearance and ability to function. These, in turn, may negatively impact rehabilitation as well as a patient’s social resources and interactions. This study aimed to build on previous work by the authors, and to further explore the subjective experiences of relating to others after a major burn injury.

Suggestions for clinical practice

The study contributed some important conclusions that are relevant to improving burn care.

• Support and social interactions are essential at all stages.
• Those involved have an increased awareness of the meaning of mutual interdependence, both the challenging and supportive aspects.
• Health professionals need to acknowledge and involve a patient’s family / friends when developing rehabilitation strategies.

Support is imperative

Support from others, be they family, friends or professionals, is important for re-anchoring the burn-injured person to that person’s preburn life. It also plays an important role in confirming the burn-injured person’s new self and in helping them to feel more secure. Another advantage, from the patient’s perspective, is that these “others” also have the background knowledge and experience to make explanations unnecessary – providing intuitive support that patients find helpful.

Read the full article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24393409