Abstract
Ethicolegal issues are those that involve ethical and legal considerations when one is deciding on a course of action. They include topics in advance directives, basic human needs, general nursing care, and health care decision-making. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of elders regarding geriatric care. Seniors ages 65 and older were interviewed using the Seniors Perspectives Regarding Elder Care Issues (SPRECI) questionnaire to obtain qualitative responses. Eight open-ended questions developed by the investigator comprised the SPRECI. The questionnaire was reviewed for content validity by a CNS with cardiovascular and administrative experience, a faculty member with experience in geriatric nursing, a faculty member with experience in ethicolegal issues, and another with experience in research methods. Emergent themes: (a) general nursing care, (b) basic needs, (c) advance directives, (d) decision making, and 5) understanding, intimate that elders commend hospitals for effectively providing for the geriatric patient, yet they identify deficits in trust, communication, and frustration with that care. The implication is that nurses should become more active in eliciting information from elders which accurately document their experiences in health care settings. This information is needed in order to address elders ethicolegal needs.
