3. Getting to know - Alex and Maria

Maria

Let's get to know our patient. Maria is a 35 year old female who was born and brought up in Moldavia. She is competent and self assured, her husband is Portuguese. Maria has two children who are 16 and 2 years of age. She lives in a rural area of Portugal with her husband and children, who are a traditional farming family.

Maria is shy and calm and she has had minimal contact with health professionals and hospitals, the only times being the birth of her children and occasional visits to local clinics for checkups. Maria has always believed that if she does as the health professionals say she will be cured of her ailments.

Maria is attending hospital as she is experiencing gynaecological problems and has been advised that she needs to have surgery for a hysterectomy.