TO MEET WITH A STROKE - PATIENTS EXPERIENCES AND ASPECTS SEEN THROUGHA SCREEN OF CRISES

The aim of this study was to elucidate the experiences of stroke victi ms during the course of disease and the first few months after dischar ge. Ten individuals, recently having suffered their first manifest str oke with lasting neurological symptoms, narrated their experiences and gave their views at two different appointments during the first few m onths after discharge, A deductive approach was applied, on the basis of the theory of developmental crises, The analyses of the interviews were performed using a phenomenological hermeneutic method inspired by the philosophy of Ricoeur, The analyses disclosed phenomena signifyin g developmental crises in all the cases, though the crises profiles we re marked by the sequelae the individuals suffered after stroke and by the age-specific stages of which they were in the middle. The solutio n of the crises was far from being reached within the period of data c ollection, as the interviews were performed relatively early after hom e-coming and the individuals were in the middle of grasping their new situation. The phenomenon 'to meet with a stroke' seems to challenge t he whole of the individual's being, The study calls attention to the n eed for awareness of this matter, which should be indicated to a much greater extent in nursing care and education than has been done until to date.