Capital Health - Journey Through the Cardiac Surgery Program

OVERVIEW

This guide is presented as a service by the cardiovascular medical team to help answer some questions that patients and their families often ask when having open heart surgery. Knowing what to expect makes the unknown more manageable.

Remember: If your doctor's instructions differ in any way from those listed here, always follow your own doctor's specific instructions.

Help is a phone call away. Phone Paul Shelby at (780) 407-6647 if you need emotional support or help with practical matters. Paul's office is located at WMC 3G1.23 and office hours are Mon to Fri 8 AM to 4 PM. Email questions to pshelby@cha.ab.ca.

Advice, Recommendations and Other Helpful Information: Go into surgery understanding how you will benefit from it and believing you are in good hands. Ask questions and seek information to feel confident of a good surgical outcome. If you see or hear anything that worries you, ask your doctor, nurse or healthcare worker about it.

Admission: Provide a spokesperson's name and phone number to the nurse upon admission. This will protect your confidentiality and ensure your loved ones are kept informed. Be on time for your admission. Bring in medications that you are currently taking, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. Advise the nurse whether the support person will be waiting on 3G in waiting area or will be at home or hotel and expecting a phone call.

ICU: Before caregivers enter the ICU, always call into the ICU using the beige colored phone on the counter top by waiting area (3G). Always wash hands before entering and after leaving the ICU. Only 2 visitors at a time at the bedside in the ICU. No visitors from 2pm to 4pm daily since this is rest period. Stay for short period of time. Phone (780) 407-6158 for updates and progress while the patient is in the ICU. When in doubt about any matter, ask for clarification and an explanation from the bedside nurse, intensivist or healthcare provider. Introduce yourself to the bedside nurse and have them introduce themselves to you.

Documentation: It is suggested that you have your affairs in order. You are strongly encouraged to be prepared for the uncertainties in life. You may choose to complete the following documentation yourself or to seek the help of a lawyer:

Will (financial and personal assets after death)

Power of Attorney: (financial matters) www.gov.ab.ca

Enduring Power of Attorney (financial matters) www.gov.ab.ca

Personal Directives: (personal decisions) www.phen.ca

***Information in this handout does not represent a full and complete description of all the things you may wish to consider and it does not replace legal advice.

Parking: The parking office is located on Level O of the hospital (use glass elevators at north end of hospital). It is closed at 4PM daily and on weekends. Parking costs $10 per day in the parkade (112 St and 83 Ave) but you may choose to save money and buy a weekly pass for $35. You can get a monthly pass for $59 with a letter from Paul Shelby. Ask your nurse or unit clerk.

VISITING IN THE ICU

VISITING HOURS 8 AM to 2 PM
4 PM to 8 PM

VISITING PROCEDURE

1) As the primary focus in the ICU is caring of the patients, and due to concern for confidentiality, you may be asked to establish a designated representative or spokesperson.

This person will be responsible for communicating information about the patient's condition to other family members and friends. Staff will provide the spokesperson's name and number to anyone who calls the unit to inquire about the patient's condition.
Ensure that the staff knows whom this person is and how to reach them.

2) Prior to each visit the following procedure must be followed:

Use the beige telephone located on the counter next to the waiting area to request permission to visit the patient. Please state your name and the name of the person you wish to visit. If this is your first time visiting, please inform the person who answers the phone.

Do not be alarmed if you are asked to wait before entering the unit. Staff may simply be providing routine care to your family member or another patient. Efforts are made to preserve patient's privacy and dignity and for this reason your entry to the unit may be delayed.

VISITING RESTRICTIONS

While visiting hours for the hospital are generally 8 AM to 8 PM, the ICU also has a "quiet time" between 2 PM and 4 PM in order to allow for an uninterrupted rest period for patients. During this time, there is no visiting.
A maximum of two people may visit a patient at one time. Children may be permitted to visit only with agreement of family and charge nurse though must be accompanied by an adult family member at all times.
The length of each visit is determined by the nurse caring for the patient, and is based on the patient's condition and treatment required.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN VISITING

Seeing a family in this setting can be an overwhelming experience. Don't be afraid to touch your family member. Holding hands, a gentle pat, or a kiss can be reassuring to both patients and their family members.
Be positive and supportive. Remember you have come to visit your family member not the monitors, try not to be distracted by these machines.
Try to keep visits brief so that the patients can rest.
If your loved one has a breathing tube, be aware that while patients will be quite drowsy and unable to speak because of the tube in their throat, they can still hear and understand. A familiar voice can be very comforting. Bring greetings from other family and friends.

ACCESSING THE HOSPITAL / WALTER MACKENZIE CENTRE (WMC) AFTER HOURS

In order to provide a safe environment for our patients and staff, the University of Alberta Hospital (with the exception of the Emergency Department) is closed from 2100 hours (9 PM) to 0500 (5 AM) hours daily.

However, to accommodate families visiting patients after the general visiting hours, Security has Access Officers at:

CSB/WMC connecting corridor from 2100 hours to 0100 hours daily, and
114th Street (west) Entry from 2100 hours to 0100 hours daily.

The Access Officer will contact the Patient Care Unit in all cases to obtain authorization for the visitor to attend the unit.

Visitors who wish to use the "Designated Smoking Zones" between 2100 hours (9 PM) and 0100 hours (1 AM) are also required to re-enter the hospital by one of the above referenced entries.

Between 0100 hours (1 AM) and 0500 hours (5 AM) all entries to the WMC are locked - with the exception of the Emergency Department, which is restricted to Emergency patients and visitors only.

In an "exceptional circumstance" patients or patient families may be instructed to use the Emergency entrance to gain entry to the WMC (For example, family has been called back to the hospital to visit a critically ill patient). In these circumstances, clinical staff is requested to contact the security department at phone 8347 or 8657 to advise that a patient's family will be coming into the hospital through the Emergency department.

Equipment In the ICU

The Bedside Monitor is commonly called the heart (cardiac) monitor or blood pressure monitor. It is a machine that records each heartbeat that is a picture of the electrical activity in the heart. The patient is attached to the cardiac monitor by a cable attached to EKG leads and electrodes that are placed on the surface of the patient's skin. The monitor has a screen like a TV screen upon which is displayed the patient's heart beat and blood pressure. The heart rate and rhythm are watched at all times by the cardiac monitor. This machine has alarms that are set by the nurse to alert her/him to any change in the heart rate. Try not to concern yourself with these alarms as the equipment will alarm for a variety of reasons and the nurse will respond only when necessary.
The Arterial Line is commonly referred to as the "Art Line" or the line to measure blood pressure. It is a catheter inserted into the patient's artery and attached to a pressurized bag for the purpose of continuous monitoring of blood pressure. You may notice that the nurse will use this line to draw most blood tests that are required.
The Ventilator is commonly called a breathing machine, "vent" or respirator. It is a machine that helps the patient to breathe. Oxygen is delivered to the lungs by this machine and carbon dioxide is removed from the lungs by this machine. The ventilator is attached to the patient via an Endotracheal Tube that is also referred to as an ETT. An ETT is a plastic tube inserted into the patient's windpipe or airway via the mouth. This tube passes through the patient's vocal cord so that he/she is unable to speak. The ventilator is attached to Oxygen and Air Outlets through which these gases are supplied to the ventilator.
Pulse Oximeter Finger Probe is commonly called a "sat monitor", it is a sensor that is usually attached to the patients' finger to continuously monitor the amount of oxygen in the blood stream. This sensor is placed on the surface of the skin and taped in place but does not enter the skin. This sensor is attached to the pulse oximeter monitor that interprets the information from the sensor. The pulse oximeter has alarms that are set by the nurse to alert her to any change in the oxygen level in the blood. This alarm is a shrill sound that is startling when you first hear it.
The Intravenous is commonly called the IV, it is a needle that is inserted into the patient's vein and attached to a sterile solution via sterile tubing. An intravenous is used for administering Blood Products or Nutritional Fluids or to give medications. The patient may have more than one intravenous and more than one intravenous solution infusing into each intravenous. The intravenous lines may be placed in the patient's neck, chest, or arms.
A Nasogastric Tube commonly called the N/G tube or stomach is inserted into the patients' stomach via the nose. This tube is inserted to drain stomach acids and air if the patient is not eating and/or to feed the patient if he/she is not eating. If the patient is not fed this tube is attached to a cannister to which gentle suction is applied to keep the stomach empty. If the patient is being fed this tube is attached to a feeding pump which delivers food that is like canned milk that is blue tinged in color.
The Urine Catheter commonly called the foley catheter or bladder catheter, it is a soft plastic tube that is inserted into the patient's bladder. The bladder catheter is attached to a drainage bag called a Urine Collector. This catheter continually drains any urine that is produced by the kidneys.
Soft Wrist Restraints are sometimes placed on the patients' wrists and secured lightly to the bed. When a patient is critically ill they are often confused and attempt to pull at tubes and equipment that is required to keep them alive. Wrist restraints are used only as a safety measure to prevent the patient from removing tubes and equipment that are very important to their recovery. If you have any concerns about the use of these restraints please discuss this with your loved one's nurse.
Compression Stockings are plastic stockings that are placed onto the patients' legs over top of heavy support stockings. These compression boots are attached to a machine that intermittently fills the boots with air. Compression boots are used to help promote circulation of blood when patients when the majority of the day lying flat in bed.
Chest Tubes: Every patient who returns from the operating room will have 1-3 chest tubes in place. These tubes will exit the patient in the abdominal area above the belly button. These tubes are attached to a suction chamber that hangs on the patient's bedside. The purpose of these tubes is to drain any fluid that may collect around the heart or in the lung cavities that may impede their function. Usually the chest tubes are removed approximately 1-2 days after surgery.
Pacemaker Box: Every patient will have pacing wires inserted onto the surface of their heart while they are in the operating room. These wires are attached to a temporary pacemaker box that usually sits on the patient's bed. The pacemaker may be turned on at anytime after the patient returns from the operating room if there are problems with the heart rhythm. Because heart rhythm irregularities occur frequently after heart surgery, the pacing wires are left in from 3-5 days, and are removed prior to discharge.
Warming Blanket: You may find that your loved one has an air filled warming blanket on in the first several hours after the operation. The purpose of this blanket is to warm the patient up slowly, as they often come back from the operating room very cool. This blanket is made of paper/plastic and is attached by a hose to a machine that will be on the floor close to the patient's bedside.

Enduring Power of Attorney

Notice to Readers

This page is intended to give information about Enduring Powers of Attorney. It is not intended to give legal advice for which a lawyer should be retained. The law and its interpretation by the Courts frequently change.
Capital Health does not warrant the outcome or result of using the information in these pages.
This page first explains what a "Power of Attorney" is and then explains in detail what an "Enduring Power of Attorney" is.

What is a Power of Attorney?

A Power of Attorney is an arrangement where authority is given by a donor to an attorney to deal with the property of the donor. The person giving the authority is called a donor, principal or grantor. The person receiving the authority is called the attorney, donee or agent. In this publication, the terms "donor" and "attorney" will be used.

A donor must be mentally competent to give a Power of Attorney. If the donor becomes mentally disabled after the Power of Attorney is signed, the attorney loses legal authority to act on behalf of the donor.

Powers of Attorney are widely used. Some examples are as follows:

A donor leaving the country for an extended vacation may appoint an attorney to manage the donor's property during his absence.
A person confined to a hospital bed can appoint an attorney to handle routine bill payments using a Power of Attorney for a specific bank.

A landlord can appoint a rental agent to collect rent in an apartment complex.

What is an Enduring Power of Attorney?

An "Enduring Power of Attorney" is a Power of Attorney that contains a clause stating that the powers remain in effect after a donor suffers a loss of capacity.

There are two types of Enduring Powers of Attorney:

It takes effect immediately and specifically states that it is to continue even if the donor becomes mentally disabled.
It takes effect when the donor becomes mentally disabled or some other specified event occurs. (This is often called a "Springing Power of Attorney.")

An Enduring Power of Attorney must 1:

be in writing and dated,
be signed by the donor in the presence of a witness,
be signed by the witness in the presence of the donor, and
contain one of the following statements

a. it is to continue notwithstanding any mental incapacity or infirmity of the donor that occurs after the execution of the Power of Attorney, or

b. it is to take effect on the mental incapacity or infirmity of the donor.

Enduring Powers of Attorney have only been in force since the enactment of the Powers of Attorney Act on June 25, 1991.

Must I see a lawyer to have an Enduring Power of Attorney made?

No. The Powers of Attorney Act used to require a lawyer to complete a Certificate of Legal Advice, which accompanied the Enduring Power of Attorney. This requirement was done away with by amendments made to the Powers of Attorney Act on December 1, 1997.

Although the Act no longer requires a lawyer's involvement, it is recommended you see a lawyer to

prepare an Enduring Power of Attorney,
explain safeguards which can be incorporated into an Enduring Power of Attorney,
limit or enable an attorney to perform certain functions,
ensure that the Enduring Power of Attorney is drafted in such a way that it comes into effect only when the donor has become sufficiently disabled,
periodically review an Enduring Power of Attorney.

Often, a lawyer preparing an Enduring Power of Attorney does so in conjunction with the preparation of a Will and a Personal Directive (a "living will").

Who can act as an attorney under an Enduring Power of Attorney?

Any adult can be appointed as an attorney.
An attorney does not have to be a resident of Alberta to act for someone living in Alberta or deal with property located in Alberta.
A donor can appoint more than one attorney.
An attorney can be a person, a financial institution or a combination of both.
A donor should be very careful when choosing an attorney. The donor should have confidence that the person chosen will act in the best interests of the donor and have sufficient expertise to deal with the donor's property.
The donor should ensure that the chosen attorney is aware of the Enduring Power of Attorney and agrees to being appointed.
The Public Trustee cannot act as an attorney.

How is a donor protected if they have an Enduring Power of Attorney?

A donor should periodically review the Enduring Power of Attorney to ensure that the powers, terms and choice of attorney remain current.

Once an Enduring Power of Attorney is in effect, any interested party can make a Court application

to have the attorney provide accounts to the Court for review and approval.
for a Court Order to terminate the Enduring Power of Attorney. This is possible if it is shown to be in the best interests of the donor.

How can a donor cancel an Enduring Power of Attorney?

The donor can revoke an Enduring Power of Attorney in writing, as long as the donor is mentally capable.

How can a donor replace the person originally selected as attorney?

The donor can revoke the appointment in writing and appoint another person, as long as the donor is mentally capable.

What happens when the donor dies?

The Enduring Power of Attorney ends. The attorney must then account to the personal representative of the deceased donor's estate.

Are Enduring Powers of Attorney registered?

No.

Are there other options available to assist a person when they are no longer capable?

Yes. An Enduring Power of Attorney, Personal Directive, Trusteeship Order, and Guardianship Order are the most common options available to assist a person with their finances and personal decision making.

Two of the most important differences between these documents are the purpose of the document and who appoints the party to act. Those differences are set out below:

Enduring Power of Attorney - donor appoints an attorney to make financial decisions and manage the property of the donor in the event that the donor loses capacity.
Personal Directive - donor appoints an agent to make personal decisions if that person loses capacity.
Trusteeship Order - Court appoints a trustee to manage the disabled person's finances and property.
Guardianship Order - Court appoints a guardian to make personal decisions for the disabled person

PERSONAL DIRECTIVES

What is a personal directive?

Have you ever thought about letting your loved ones know your wishes about medical treatment or where you would like to live, in case you lose the ability to make choices on your own?
The Alberta government has introduced legislation, called the Personal Directives Act, that lets you do just that. It helps guide your loved ones in making decisions for you when illness or injury prevent you from looking after yourself (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, coma). A personal directive also lets you choose another person, an agent, to act on your behalf and make decisions for you when you cannot make them yourself.

The Personal Directives Act gives Albertans maximum flexibility when leaving instructions about how, and by whom, they wish decisions to be made on their behalf. This approach respects the autonomy of Albertans, but it also provides limited safeguards against things that can go wrong.

Making a personal directive is optional and voluntary. And it can't be used to request assisted suicide, euthanasia or anything else illegal.

Why make personal directives?

If you choose to make a personal directive, your family will know what to do if you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself.

When you reached the age of 18, you began to make your own choices. Other people could not do things to, or for, you without your permission. But have you ever thought about what would happen if you were unable to make choices for yourself? Could another person make decisions for you?

Under most circumstances, not even your closest family members have the right to make decisions on your behalf without a court order. Currently, the Powers of Attorney Act allows you to give another person authority to make financial decisions for you. But financial matters are only part of the hundreds of decisions you make every day. Where will I live? For whom will I work? What will I do in my spare time?

If something happens to you so that you are no longer able to make such decisions, who will have the authority to make them for you and what kind of decisions will they make?

The Personal Directives Act allows adult Albertans to prepare a document called a personal directive, in which they can name one or more people to make decisions for them, describe the areas in which they want decisions made for them, and provide other instructions.

The need for a personal directive may be short-term, such as when a serious illness leaves an individual unable to make decisions for a few days. In the case of brain injury or Alzheimer's disease, however, a personal directive may be required for the remaining length of a person's lifetime.

A personal directive lets you remain in control of areas of your life that are important to you.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

Office Of The Public Guardian Office Of The Public Guardian South Region
6th Floor, Centre West 510, Place 800, 800-6th Avenue S.W.
10035-108th Street Calgary, Alberta T2P 3G3
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3E4 Phone 297-3364
Phone 422-1868 Fax 297-3427
Fax 422-6051

Office Of The Public Guardian North Region Office Of The Public Guardian Central Region
4th Floor, 108th Street Building 2nd Floor, Provincial Building 9942-108th Street
4920-51st Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2J5                Red Deer, Alberta T4N 6K8
Phone 427-0017                                Phone 340-5165
Fax 422-9138                                     Fax 340-7131

For toll free access to any of these offices, dial 310-0000 and ask for the number of the office that you would like to reach.
If you need legal advice on drafting personal directives, you may wish to consult the Law Society of Alberta's Referral Service at 1-800-661-1095. You will be provided with the names of three lawyers to consult. Each lawyer will provide a half-hour consultation free of charge.

If you have related questions on personal directives, you may wish to contact your physician or call your regional health authority. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, anyone with a health concern can call 408-LINK (408-5465) to get health advice or information.

YOUR MEDICAL TEAM

In the course of your hospitalization, the care you receive will be a highly organized effort by a team of health care professionals. They will work to ensure your well being before, during, and after your surgery.

DIETITIAN

Also called nutritionists, they are responsible for meal planning, making sure all of your meals are balanced and nutritious. They can also plan special menus for patients who are on restricted diets. The clinical dietitian is available to:

assess your nutritional needs in the ICU and during your stay in the hospital, and
counsel you on topics ranging from cholesterol reduction and weight control.
A presentation regarding Cardiac Nutrition is held each Friday at 1:00 PM in room 5G1.11. You and your family members are welcome to attend. If you (or your family members) have specific questions or concerns about your nutrition, ask your nurse to consult the Dietitian.

NURSING

Registered nurses (RNs) provide hands-on care. They plan and supervise your nursing care. They also instruct other nursing staff, patients, and their families. This profession makes the complex observations at the bedside that assists themselves and other staff in identifying patient's individual needs and then providing appropriate patient care. In addition to bedside nurses, there is a Unit Manager responsible for nursing care provided on the unit. In the absence of the Unit Manager, a nurse is designated in charge.

A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse that has advanced academic and clinical experience. A NP may diagnose and manage many common illnesses. They have a master's degree in nursing and have completed an internship under the direction of a physician or experienced NP.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are nurses who also provide hands-on care. They work along side Registered Nurses and other health care professionals to ensure your needs are met while in the hospital.

Nursing aides (NAs) and assistants help with your care under the supervision of the nursing staff.

The In-patient Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse provides an educational service to cardiac patients affected by coronary artery disease and their families. These patients receive individualized information packages pertaining to the patients' diagnoses and the cardiac rehabilitation nurse reviews this information on a one to one basis with the patient and their family. An information session on heart and angina attacks, identifying and modifying risks factors of coronary artery disease is held every Wednesday at 1:15 PM to 2:00 PM in room 5G1.11. You and your family members are welcome to attend.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral Care offers comfort and spiritual support to patients, relatives and staff during times of stress, anxiety, and grief. Hospital Chaplains are professionally educated to help patients cope with their hospitalization and find meaning in times of crisis. The Chaplain can act as a link between patient and community faith resources. Pastoral Care services are recognized as being an integral component of the health care team. Members of the Pastoral Care team promote improved health and well being by intentional inclusion of spiritual assessment and relational support as an integral component of care for patients, families and staff. There is a Chaplain available on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

PHARMACIST

Hospital Pharmacists monitor your medications, looking for possible drug interactions and appropriateness of therapy and dose. The Pharmacist routinely discusses your medication therapy with your physician. Depending on the medications you are prescribed, one of the Pharmacists may provide medication teaching to you prior to your discharge. If you (or your family members) have specific questions or concerns about your medications, ask your nurse to arrange for a Pharmacist to meet with you.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Physical Therapists work by physician referral in Cardiac Sciences. The primary role of the Physical Therapists is to:

provide pre operative assessments and educational sessions for patients going for open heart surgery;
assist patients to regain their mobility and normal lung function following heart surgery or a cardiac event such as a heart attack or congestive heart failure;
help identify patient problems and communicate any concerns to the rest of the health care team; and
help prepare patients for discharge.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

The Occupational Therapist provides services to people whose ability to function in every day living is disrupted by physical illness, injury, the aging process, mental illness, or developmental problems. The Occupational Therapist may assess cognition, perception, physical limitations, psychosocial functioning, activities of daily living (such as; feeding, dressing, transfers), and the home environment and provide appropriate intervention. The Occupational Therapist, in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team, assists with discharge planning.

RESPIRATORY THERAPIST

The Respiratory Therapist is a specialist in all aspects of breathing who collaborates with physicians and other staff. You may encounter such a therapist if you (or your family member) require a ventilator (breathing machine) while in the ICU. Through blood gas tests, the Respiratory Therapist determines which ventilator settings are most beneficial to the patient's condition. For patients who require oxygen upon discharge, Respiratory Therapists coordinate with home care providers for this service.

SOCIAL WORK

The Social Worker helps to deal with emotional stress related to this admission and to assist with the many practical issues that may need to be addressed. The social worker is available to help patients and their families with a variety of tasks, such as:

providing information about local amenities to those who are from out of town,
assisting you with the organization of practical aspects of your personal affairs while in hospital (i.e. personal directives &/or power of attorney); and
helping you connect with community agencies for help with personal care, meals, transportation, grocery shopping, income, drug benefits, etc.

SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

The Speech Language Pathologist specializes in communication disorders and swallowing difficulties that may occur after surgery. They work closely with other members of the team and see patients once referred by a physician. The SLP may assess the patient's speech and understanding of language. If one has difficulty communicating, the SLP can determine which assistive devices are most suitable and assist patients with regaining their ability to communicate. The Speech Pathologist also conducts swallowing assessments. These determine the safest type of food and drink in order to help to prevent any lung complications. If follow-up is needed after discharge, the SLP will assist with the coordination of follow-up services.

Please note that the following professionals and services are also available to assist you while in hospital.

Multi-Cultural Worker 407-6659
Aboriginal Cultural Helper 407-8449
Artist on the Ward Program Contact Unit if interested

PLACES TO REST

Atrium 4A (outside Neurosurgery Patient Care Units)
Chapel 5H2.06
This library has books and magazines available to family & patients
Kaw Kaw Koo: Aboriginal Gathering Room 5H2.04

Tips for Mental Fitness:
22 Ways to Mind Your Mental Health

Tips for Stress Management

Don't let your emotions get "bottled up" inside. Share your feelings with others.
Learn to manage your time efficiently.
Avoid unnecessary arguments or quarrels.
Do a "stress rehearsal". Prepare for stressful events by imagining yourself feeling calm and handling the situation well.
Minimize your exposure to things that cause distress.
Practice a relaxation technique daily.
Be a good Samaritan. Spend time helping others.

Tips for Enjoying Life

Balance work and play.
Engage in activities you enjoy and look forward to.
Discover the "elf" in yourself. Learn to have fun.
He who laughs, lasts. Improve your laugh life.
Participate in activities with people who share your interests.
Reward yourself with little things that make you feel good.
Challenge yourself to do something new.
Surround yourself with cheery people. Avoid stress carriers.
Shun the "superman" or "superwoman" syndrome. No one is perfect.

Tips for a Healthy Attitude

Set realistic goals for yourself.
Be flexible in dealing with people and events. Avoid "phychosclerosis" a hardening of the attitudes.
Accept the things you cannot change in yourself and others.
Forgive yourself for mistakes.
Take satisfaction in your accomplishments. Don't dwell on your shortcomings.
Clean up "psychological pollution". See the "positive" in events.

Disclaimer
Reviewed by Alberta clinical experts. Brought to you by HealthLink Alberta. Copyright.
This material is designed for information purposes only. It should not be used in place of medical advice, instruction and/or treatment. For more health advice call Capital Health Link at 780-408-LINK (5465) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In Alberta, call Toll-free: 1-866-408-LINK (5465)