Introduction
The nurse must become more relevant to the population’s needs, namely her patients. She should become a well-educated professional, an equal partner, working independently with clients and contributing to the community’s health. The nurse currently plays an important role in providing medical and social help to the elderly and patients with terminal diseases, as well as health education, program organization, and promotion of healthy lifestyles. The 21st-century nurse has new areas of activity and must adopt many diverse duties in addition to conventional patient care (Pittman, 2019). With the advent of higher nursing education came the potential to undertake scientific research, the findings of which nursing professionals may autonomously apply, and the possibility of educating nursing personnel by nurses themselves.
Patient and Case Description
For my assignment, I chose a family, one of whose members suffers from a chronological illness such as asthma. It is a 5-year-old boy named Ethan who recently received this diagnosis. His family did not know how to cope with this condition, so they contacted the clinic for help. Chronic illnesses are pathological ailments that persist over a year and substantially restrict everyday activity. They are manageable but not curable. Chronic heart and lung disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, osteoporosis, and cancer affect 2.5 billion people globally (Long, 2020). Every day they face uncertainty, stress and difficulty adjusting to their disease. These difficulties result in the development of distinct behaviours and personality features that separate chronic patients from other clinic patients.
Along with illness come limitations and new responsibilities that must be met to live a long life. It is necessary to realize that life will no longer be what it once was, but this is not a calamity. That is why learning how to cope with these illnesses and act in critical situations is necessary.
In my practice, I have had many consultations with the patient and their parents to provide them with all the information about the disease. The main problem was that the family did not know how to deal with sudden asthma attacks. They became more competent in this area, so my contribution is significant. The patient and his family were satisfied with my work because I gave them access to knowledge about the chronic disease, examined the boy and covered the issue comprehensively. The intervention improves the family’s experience so they can feel confident in critical moments, not panic and know what to do in any given case.
Used Literature
For my project, I used an article by Geun Myung Kim et al. titled Resilience in Patients with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review. This study aimed to create a resiliency program for patients with chronic conditions by systematically assessing the literature on resiliency programs designed for such individuals (Kim et al., 2019). Through this article, I have selected several care methods for a patient with a chronic illness.
I also used an article titled Hospital Home Interventions versus Hospital Stay for patients with chronic illnesses who present to the emergency department. This study aims to systematically analyze and evaluate the relationship between patient outcomes and in-home interventions as a substitute for a hospital stay for community-dwelling patients with chronic illnesses who present to the emergency department and are offered at least one home visit from a nurse and physician (Arsenault-Lapierre et al., 2021). Thus, this peer-reviewed article has substantiated the importance of monitoring the patient at home and as an inpatient. The principles of evidence-based practice formed the basis of the literature search. I used only validated articles written by MDs and experts in the field. Also, each article is supported by reliable sources, factual data, and research findings.
The Technology Used
I used telemedicine for my practice because it improved communication with the patient. Telemedicine uses modern technology and telecommunications to provide physician and consultation services remotely. Medical personnel can use telemedicine to evaluate patients remotely, conduct consultations, gather anamnesis, request and provide illness progression information, prescribe medication, and issue sick notes. This technology is an excellent option because Ethan and his family live in a small town that is not convenient to travel to a clinic for a consultation. Remote patient consultations and diagnostics are the most prevalent services in telemedicine. The consulting physician, his assistant, and the patient can establish complete audiovisual communication using specialized videoconferencing technologies. They can see and hear each other and communicate graphical and textual information. In future practice, improvements to this technology may be needed due to unstable Internet connections.
Health Care Policy
Health policy influenced my intervention to a large extent as I directed my activities to meet the patient’s needs. I fulfilled my nursing responsibility by providing nursing care in the healthcare setting and at home. This project also had some input into policy development. I realized how important it is to communicate correctly with the patient and his family. I also concluded that the awareness of illness in a patient with a chronic illness is a very important factor that affects the course of a client’s life.
Nurses regularly contact patients, coordinate interactions with them, and verify that any institution’s infection safety regulations are fulfilled. When a person visits their family doctor or a hospital for treatment, exams, instrumental examinations, medical manipulations, or care, they always speak with the nurse. Policy influence refers to nurses’ capacity to influence health-related choices and cases through political awareness, effective communication, and collaboration with other healthcare team members, resulting in a better nursing work environment and patient outcomes. It is a dynamic process characterized by nurses’ knowledge, competence, power, advocacy, and ability to change. I have observed patient reactions to counselling during my practice, which has helped me develop my policies. The positive feedback after my intervention is a testament to the right approach. Also, a concrete observation is obtained after working with Ethan and his family. They became more confident and positive about continuing to treat the boy’s illness, which confirms my competence as a nurse.
Personal and Professional Growth
I believe the project’s results aligned with my initial predictions. I was focused on a positive outcome for the patient and his family. One of my goals was to provide the patient with quality care and literature about the diagnosis, a defensible aspect of my project. Changing the mindset of Ethan and his family toward further asthma treatment is an aspect that exceeded my expectations. I convinced my clients that a chronic illness does not determine the rest of their lives and that it is possible to live with it. Unfortunately, I did not manage to work on the psychological component of the patient and his family, which can be considered an unjustified aspect of expectations from the project. The parents and Ethan still experience anxiety in critical situations, but it is possible to change this factor in the future.
An advanced practice nurse is a nursing professional who receives additional training to specialize their skills in a particular nursing discipline. This experience can be considered a best practice because I learned the basics of medical practice there. I developed my policies and emphasized my strengths. This experience helped me develop my communication skills and ability to communicate with patients with chronic conditions, which is no small feat. Since this practice, I can confidently work with other patients to provide the best possible care and support. I can apply my patient communication competencies more confidently outside of this situation. I can develop a treatment plan, apply telemedicine technology, and work with the psychological state of the patient and his/her perception of the disease.
My personal and professional growth is compelling because I have developed many skills and competencies during the course to help me become a highly skilled professional. I developed my ability to adapt to the patient, depending on their views, culture or religion. A nurse needs to be sensitive to the differences of her patients and be prepared to help people of different races, cultures, and ethnic groups. I have become a competent worker, have the necessary knowledge, and am striving to increase it. Also, thanks to the course, I have wisdom, which means the ability to make informed decisions and the absence of haste. I have developed my patience and compassion, and I am sensitive to the peculiarities of my profession. Mercy and willingness to work in a team can be another ethical competence acquired during the course.
The psychology of relatives is conditioned by their personality, formed by their former life, and their attitude toward the patient. The interest of most relatives is focused on promoting a quick recovery. Often, relatives are more concerned about the illness than the patient. They are concerned about all kinds of talk, rumors, and problematic information about the disease, and medical personnel tries to do something for the sick person. The patient and the relatives have a right to information concerning each of them, which can be an ethical aspect of my work. However, the rights of one sometimes conflict with the rights of the other. The nurse must be careful not to give unnecessary information to the patient or relatives without consulting the attending physician.
I am proud that I developed my ability to communicate with patients during my training. At the beginning of the course, I had to help me find an approach to the client and abstract the situation. Now I understand that it is important for the nurse to be a good listener and encourage the patient to talk about themselves. It is helpful to let the patient talk it out, to tell everything they want to share, trying to be as attentive and interested in what they are saying as possible.
A nurse may need to be a better listener, not only because she is uninterested or needs more time but also because she may be busy with her thoughts and experiences. So I have learned to listen by “pushing back” my problems for a while. In the process of listening, I also pay attention to the non-verbal communication signals of the patient. The listening function is not only important for gathering information about the patient. The opportunity to speak out in the situation of safety that the nurse creates already has a psychotherapeutic effect on the patient. Trust is formed during the conversation between the nurse and the patient, which is important for subsequent work with the patient.
The relationship between patients has a significant impact on their well-being. The medical staff must foster companionship and empathy for one another in the patients. They must also ensure that the patient’s regimen, which mobilizes his defenses, is organically integrated into the therapeutic and protective regimen of the department. The therapeutic and protective regime protects the patient’s central nervous system from excessive external influences: creating conditions for maximum sparing of affected organs and systems; maintaining comfortable conditions for the organism in the new conditions of existence – in conditions of illness.
Applying the therapeutic and protective regimen principle and creating a therapeutic environment in a medical institution takes work. Besides material expenses, it requires, first of all, constant education and self-education of all medical workers. A healthy socio-psychological climate in a therapeutic facility presupposes mutual trust among employees, a desire to do their work in good faith according to the principle of “no leniency”, constant exchange of information, control over the results of programs, the efficiency of the hospital administration and its style of work. The teamwork of the physician and nurse as respectful and dependent professionals increases the nurse’s responsibility. It allows each professional to perform the functions he or she was trained for. The foundation of successful teamwork is a cooperative and mutually supportive relationship instead of one of conflict and confrontation.
References
Arsenault-Lapierre, G., Henein, M., Gaid, D., Le Berre, M., Gore, G., & Vedel, I. (2021). Hospital-at-home interventions vs in-hospital stay for patients with chronic disease who present to the emergency department: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA network open, 4(6), e2111568-e2111568.
Kim, G. M., Lim, J. Y., Kim, E. J., & Park, S. M. (2019). Resilience of patients with chronic diseases: A systematic review. Health & social care in the community, 27(4), 797-807. Web.
Long, J. (2020). Global perspectives on diabetes, respiratory diseases, and orthopedic chronic diseases. Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, 327.
Pittman, P. (2019). Activating nursing to address unmet needs in the 21st century. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Web.