HCA 250 Week 6 Coping Styles and Psychological Preparation

1.CheckPoint: Coping Styles and Psychological Preparation

Resources: Ch. 5, Table 5.1 (p.120) & Ch. 10 of Health Psychology, and the WebMD Web site at

Review the cardiac catheterization procedure presented in your text on p. 280, or read about it on the WebMD Web site.

Select either Case A or Case B:

oCase A: Gerry is a tall and lean 64-year-old male pacing the floor at the cardiologists office. He has been experiencing severe chest tightness and shortness of breath for several days, but has not told his wife because her father recently passed away from a massive heart attack. She is still mourning the loss. Gerrys cardiologist has just told him that he needs a cardiac catheterization. Gerry squeezed this appointment into his busy schedule as a real estate broker for a commercial real estate company in Boston. He now wonders if all of the extra time at the office he put in to climb up the ladder of success was worth it.

oCase B: Marsha (age 40) and Clint (age 45) have been waiting patiently in the clinic room for preoperative instructions for mitral valve replacement. Marshas surgery is scheduled for one week from today. She had rheumatic fever as a child and has been experiencing shortness of breath and exercise intolerance, noted when walking around the block. Marsha and Clint have two healthy children, ages 10 and 14. Clint is a journeyman plumber. Marsha is a homemaker who struggles with reading. She has dyslexia, and is upset with herself for not trying harder to read more about how to stay healthy. Both Marsha and Clints parents live about 1,000 miles away, in a farming community where the couple grew up, met, and married. They are very involved in their church, and people have already offered to help.

Determine the patients coping style. Explain which psychological preparation method would be most appropriate for the patient based on his or her background, coping style, and behaviors in 250 to 300 words.

Update Appendix B (optional).