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Theoretical Definition of Anxiety

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A Theoretical Definition of Anxiety
Cindy Lucas
The University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing

In partial fulfillment of the requirements of
N5327 Exploring Science and Theories in Nursing
Patricia Thomas, PhD, RN, NNP-BC
September 10, 2014
A Theoretical Definition of Anxiety In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents of premature and critically ill infants experience a great deal of emotion during the time their infant is in the NICU. Parents are thrust into the world of immaturity of bodily systems, disturbing alarm sounds, and unfamiliar words; like apnea and bradycardia. Anxious parents in the NICU are often described by nurses and the medical team as difficult or annoying because in our roles in the NICU we forget that this is a crisis for these parents and it is difficult for them to cope with the situation. Parents in the NICU often talk to the nurse about their feelings of anxiety in regards to the health of their infant and the NICU environment in general. Thousands of infants are born premature or critically ill on an annual basis which presents a challenge in the NICU to facilitate the bonding and attachment of parent and infant which can often cause parents a great deal of anxiety.
Rationale for Selecting Concept Anxiety in the parents of a premature infant is evident every day in the NICU. I chose to define this concept to hopefully reveal interventions and therapies to help the parents of the infants that I care for cope with this uncomfortable emotion that is characterized by an “uneasiness of mind” and “fearful concern” (Frederick & Merriam-Webster, Inc, 2012). I was the primary nurse for a premature infant that was born at twenty-four weeks gestation. His mother was a perfect example of an anxious parent. She would describe feeling like she was going to explode into a million pieces. She had physical

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