Providing patient opportunities to increase control

Patient stress management is of great concern to nurses working within coronary care units (CCUs), Prior research indicates that stress is associated with both clinical complications and reduced patient adaptation. The nurse has a unique opportunity to help patients take control of their situations, an effort which seems to reduce stress, through the application of relevant social psychological theory. How can the critical care educator assist nurses in increasing patient control in the CCU? This author describes an educational tool to assist nurses in providing opportunities for patient control.