Approach to Care
First, it is important to discuss Mr. P’s diagnosis in brief. Cardiomyopathy is a health condition characterized by abnormal heart muscle (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). Congestive heart failure takes place in patients whose heart muscle is unable to pump blood efficiently. It is recommended that the approach to care for managing the patient’s diagnosis involves an inter-professional team. Because Mr. P experiences several health-related issues while being overwhelmed with the extreme pressure to comply with diet restrictions and pay medical bills, the inter-professional approach to his care is the most appropriate in this case. As mentioned by Jaarsma (2005), “pharmacists, cardiologists, GPs, heart failure nurses, and dieticians” will play a role in choosing the suitable approach to Mr. P’s care because he has several health issues (p. 833).
Treatment Plan
The treatment plan for addressing Mr. P’s cardiomyopathy and congested heart failure should include heart-healthy lifestyle changes, prescription medicine, non-surgical procedures to enhance the heart’s function, and surgery in case of the problem’s exasperation (National Institutes of Health, 2016). The inter-professional team will work cooperatively to provide appropriate services and support the patient; Mr. P reported having difficulties maintaining a healthy diet and managing several medications simultaneously. A dietician should develop a diet plan that will be easier to follow; the ration should include vegetables, whole grains, and protein-rich foods such as fish, nuts, legumes, oils, as well as products that contain a high concentration of polyunsaturated fats.
Also, the dietician can address the diagnosis of pitting edema, which can be controlled by reducing the amount of salt intake. A mental health specialist may contribute to Mr. P’s treatment plan through providing emotional support to manage his constant stress; the patient is despondent and requires the attention of a psychotherapist because stress has a direct impact on heart-related problems (Beckerman, 2016). A pharmacist can also participate in the treatment plan by designing an easy-to-follow sequence of procedures that the patient can follow when taking his medication. A cardiologist should increase the number of Mr. P’s visits to the hospital to monitor his condition and prevent hospitalizations.
Teaching Method
The teach-back method for providing the patient and his family with education is the most appropriate in this case. Because Mr. P is often overwhelmed by the amount of pressure, the method can be used for confirming that the patient processed and understood the information imparted by the health provider. According to the approach, during teach-back sessions with patients and their families, the health provider (in this case – the GP) will teach a concept and then confirm the understanding by asking the learners to explain it back using their own words (Xu, 2012). Also, the method will improve the relationships between Mr. P and his health providers and make the patient feel less stressed about his treatment.
Teaching Plan
The teaching plan targeted at Mr. P and his wife should encompass seven topics: clinical aspects of cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure, daily weight monitoring, physical activity and rest, use of medication, orientations for physical activity, physical training, as well as diet and social activities (Rabelo, Aliti, Domingues, Ruschel, & Brun, 2007). Each lesson will include one topic with the integration of the teach-back method. After the completion of seven lessons, the educator should assess Mr. P’s understanding and provide a final lesson to summarize the new information. It is important to avoid complicated terminology and use as many visual materials (e.g., presentations, graphs, images, educational videos) as possible.
References
Beckerman, J. (2016). Heart failure and stress management. Web.
Jaarsma, T. (2005). An inter-professional team approach to patients with heart failure. Heart, 91(6), 832-838.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015). Cardiomyopathy. Web.
National Institutes of Health. (2016). How is cardiomyopathy treated. Web.
Rabelo, E., Aliti, G., Domingues, F., Ruschel, K., & Brun, A. (2007). What to teach to patients with heart failure and why: The role of nurses in heart failure clinics. Revista Latino-Am Enfermagem, 15(1), 165-170.
Xu, P. (2012). Using teach-back for patient education and self-management. American Nurse Today, 7(3), 1-5.