Nurse of the future and the path in which nursing will develop in the following years is an interesting topic because this healthcare system needs to be transformed to address the needs of the citizens. A conversation with a 30 years old woman who was recently diagnosed with diabetes and needed help in changing her lifestyle inspired this reflection. This clinical narrative will outline a conversation with a patient that prompted a reflection about a nurse of the future and how these medical professionals can support the health of their communities, how it affected me, and what changes I plan on implementing into my practice.
This conversation happened with a 30-year-old patient who had diabetes and complained of not having enough understanding of how to manage it once she is discharged from the hospital. One thing she focused on is the fact that the medical professionals advised her to change her diet and use DASH to regulate her eating habits. However, she did not cook before and did not know how to approach the matter, and the amount of information she found online was overwhelming.
I think with this conversation, and I made a difference because I choose to actively listen to the complaints and fears that M. A. had instead of dismissing them and telling her to find information online or follow the advice she was already given. In general, the conversation went well because my main goal was to help M. A. by further explaining her recommendations. One thing that did not go well was the lack of time because I felt that I could share more valuable knowledge, but I had to proceed with my work. Hence, there was a communication breakdown, and this incident prompted me to think about how the healthcare system does not allow nurses to provide enough support to patients. The shortage of resources and medical professionals leads to a subsequent lack of time we can dedicate to a patient. It is often not enough to fully understand their concerns and help them by explaining how to adjust their lifestyle.
One thing that could have been done differently is to dedicate as much time as needed to go through each aspect of dieting and exercise that M. A. was worried about instead of briefly discussing her concerns. This prompted me to reflect on the issue of a more holistic approach to medicine. My vision for a nurse of a future in the development of the nursing profession and practice will allow nurses to provide comprehensive and patient-centered care. The main implication for this is that many diseases, especially chronic conditions, are preventable through a proper lifestyle. Diabetes, which affects 34 million United States citizens, requires a holistic management approach (“Statistics about diabetes,” n.d.). People can avoid developing diabetes or use evidence-based practices to change their dieting habits and exercise patterns. However, as became evident with M. A., many patients feel uncertain and do not know where to start and where to find reliable information.
Overall, this conversation inspired me to think about the gaps within healthcare and how we, as nurses, can use our training and skill to help patients change small things in their daily routines. This case impacted my practice because I understood the value of support a nurse can provide to a patient. As a result, I will dedicate more time to listening and discussing concerns and to going through each step of how an individual can implement changes into their lives to be healthier.
Reference
Statistics about diabetes. (n.d.).