The role of the nurse in rehabilitation is extremely important . The rehabilitation nurse has to have certain skills to help patient into regaining her optimal level of function and to reintegrate back into society.
The nurse should have a higher than average supply of empathy especially since this patient can sometimes become confused, anxious and depressed. By being empathetic the nurse connects with the patient and acquires an understanding of what the patient is going through. Empathy helps the nurse to acknowledge patient’s holistic state and to listen attentively so that in the process of rehabilitation , she can empower them to be proactive and self managers of their care (Ficara , May 2011) . The patient’s anxiety depression and
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The nurse is the bridge that connects the patient with the health care system. When the patient returns back to her home, she will find herself alone and when exacerbations of giant cell arthritis, myastenia gravis or a re occurrence of uti might make her feel helpless and hopeless. As nurses, we tend to our patients needs but we have to keep in mind that we also have the responsibility to educate our patients. By educating this patient about her diseases process and triggers of exacerbations, and management of symptoms , such as those of giant cell arthritis : malaise, fatigue ,headaches ,low grade fever, we are helping the patient become aware that she can be in control of her conditions and have a good quality of life. Patient education is crucial in promoting self management. Self management is the individual’s process of actively managing her illness (Schulman Freen et al ,2012). Therefore nurse should give out advice on how to self management myastenia gravis for example : how to plan chores , shopping and daily activities when she has the most energy . Also using safety precautions around the home is vital . She is encourage to install grab bars or railings , most importantly in high risk places such as next to the bathtub or next to steps and stairs (Mayoclinic, 2017).Patient is strongly advised to remove any loose rugs out of areas where she may walk especially since she a list of conditions that impair her mobility and gait . It is very important for this patient to create a fall prevention strategies . This means that she is taught new ways of moving about . Since she suffers from osteoporosis and a kyphotic spine , she should avoid sudden movements , especially those that require twisting the spine . She is also advised on the correct way to lift items and not to lift items more than 5 kgs
At the multidisciplinary meeting, the nurse will collect and assess the information provided by the other disciplines and family members stating that the patient is not at her prior level of functioning and then analyze the information to develop a diagnosis of deconditioning. Next, the nurse identifies outcomes for the patient to get stronger, achieve prior level of function, have activities of daily living (ADL’s) met in a safe environment by planning for home health, equipment, and 24/7 supervision through family or placement in a facility. This will be implemented by coordinating delivery of a walker and a 3 in 1 chair prior to discharge to daughter’s home with the home health agency nurse, physical therapist, and aide scheduled to start that day. In a week, the nurse evaluates that outcomes are being met by following up with patient, daughter, and home health agency evaluating that the patient is getting stronger, ADL’s are being met, and will soon be able to return to living independently. To achieve these standards of practice, every nurse should be aware of her own nurse practice act to ensure to be functioning with in the laws of the nurse’s state and to ensure the best outcomes and safety of the patients. In closing, it is every nurses duty to be the best nurse they are capable of being by looking at the scope of nursing practice which gives us the framework to achieve
A registered nurse (RN) is someone that went through a university or college and studied nursing; and then passed the national licensing exam to obtain a license to practice nursing. The degree earned by an RN at the need of the program is deemed a professional nursing degree. The RN top nursing staff and they usually works independently. On the hand, an LPN only earns a practical nursing degree after completion of the program. LPNs are mostly recognized only in USA and Canada; they are also named as License Vocational Nurse (LVN) in the state of California and Texas. LPN work under the supervisor of an RN or a physician.
But how does one achieve this mindset? Carper (1948) answers this as well; empathy. Nurses use empathy to act not as an audience but as a possible contributor. As said earlier, empathy allows for better perception skills. As a result, with good perception skills comes access to more specific information that forms what Copper (2001) calls ‘particular knowledge’ or subjective knowledge obtained by a nurse about an individual client (p. 6). It is knowledge nurse can have access to if they have enough respect for their
“We can’t turn away from a patient’s pain just because it’s difficult” (chapman, 2015, p. 88). I know the path of least resistance is taking a path of ignorance. Easy, is to ignore or neglect the true pain patients experience in times of crisis. As caregivers I believe we all want to heal others or we wouldn’t be in the field of nursing, but there are only handfuls willing to be present during the healing process because sharing one’s pain hurts. As a surgical nurse, I find being genuinely present takes hard work on my behalf, not only mentally but emotionally. On a unit where patient’s needs and conditions are changing at astonishing rates, being present requires mental strength in order slow down enough to recognize the value presence
Therapeutic relationships are an essential part of nursing; they are the foundation of nursing (CNO, 2009). The National Competency Standard for Registered Nurses states that nurses are responsible for “establishing, sustaining and concluding professional relationships with individuals/groups.” Throughout this essay, the importance of forming therapeutic relationships will be explained. The process of building a therapeutic relationship begins prior to time of contact with a patient, the interpersonal skills of the nurse; then the process includes skills required by the nurse to communicate effectively, including respect, trust, non-judgment and empathy. The way to portray these skills can be via verbal or non-verbal cues that are important to understand how they influence a person.
A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is outlined as a helping relationship grounded on shared respect, trust, the encouragement of having faith and hope in oneself and others, and emotional support (Pullen et al., 2010). In doing so, the nurse can establish complete satisfaction of the patients needs, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. This relationship produces when the patient and the nurse come together in harmony and peace (Pullen et al., 2010). Efficient verbal and nonverbal communication is an essential aspect of interaction between nurse and patient – in doing this, the patient feels on par with the nurse, as an equal, rather than having no indication of what procedures are taking place (Pullen et al., 2010).
This is because, conversing empathetically can lead to better outcomes as it can have positive effects on client’s anxiety, pain, and hopelessness (Williams & Stickley, 2010). As well, it enables clients to cooperate more effectively towards treatments (Arnold & Boggs, 2015). Being empathetic promotes a humanistic interaction where the main objective is to make one feel understood and appreciated. By gathering data through the client’s words and actions, the nurse can use this information to carefully construct an appropriate response that will make a client feel that his or her feelings have been acknowledged (Monica, 1979). Furthermore, for a nurse to efficiently demonstrate empathy, nurses must be aware of their own biases and avoid bringing these personal views into the health care setting as these can negatively affect the client (Williams & Stickley,
The general idea of, K, is that a nurse must have knowledge in the diversity of cultures, ethics, and education. The significance of this faction being that if the nurse is cognizant of the patient 's culture, beliefs, family values, support systems, and education level, a more thorough and comprehensive plan of care can be formulated. The premise of, S, is that a nurse must be skilled in the ability to communicate with and advocate for the patient, assess for and properly treat pain, and incorporate the needs and concerns of the patient and their family. The significance of this group and development of these skills include the achievement of pain control, increased rehabilitation periods, and an increase in patient/family satisfaction. The theme of, A, requires that a nurse maintains an open attitude toward the patient and to respect and validate the nurse-patient relationship, which will aid in a positive nurse-patient
According to the College of Nurse of Ontario (2006), empathy is one of the five key components of the nurse-client relationship and is one of the most powerful tools. You don’t need to know how your patient feels to be empathetic but letting them know that you are trying to understand is a good start. It can be used to describe a variety of experiences and had been defined by emotional researchers “as the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling” (University of California, Berkeley). Having the ability to empathize doesn’t mean you will or that you are willing to help someone in need but it is an important first step towards a compassionate
Every person’s needs must be recognized, respected, and filled if he or she must attain wholeness. The environment must attuned to that wholeness for healing to occur. Healing must be total or holistic if health must be restored or maintained. And a nurse-patient relationship is the very foundation of nursing (Conway et al 2011; Johnson, 2011). The Theory recognizes a person’s needs above all. It sets up the conducive environment to healing. It addresses and works on the restoration and maintenance of total health rather than only specific parts or aspect of the patient’s body or personality. And these are possible only through a positive healing relationship between the patient and the nurse (Conway et al, Johnson).
During my care, I was not interacting with the patient rather I was ignoring her statements. Although I was listening attentively and demonstrating attending behaviours by maintaining eye contact and appropriate nonverbal cues I was not connected to her verbally. It is important that there is client-centered communication to make the patient feel comfortable at all times. When the patient was discussing her pain I did not ask the appropriate questions. It is crucial that nurses respond to client empathetically and in a knowledgeable manner (Maruca et al., 2015). Responding to the patient makes them feel understood. In this particular situation because the patient was discussing her pain, I should have assessed her pain. My main focus during the transfer was completing the task and I was unaware of what was happening around me. Empathy often is lost in nursing student in the clinical settings as they become more focused on their professional skills (Maruca et al., 2015). However, if I had felt more competent about my skills I would have been more able to focus less on the task and more on the patient’s feelings. I was not considering the patient’s feelings and was more concerned with my own which was very selfish of me. It is important to gain insight into what the patient is experiencing, what the illness
Nurses are an equally important part of each client’s life. Nurses provide stable care to each client, answers their questions, gives medications and treatments, and assists with medical procedures. They also have the responsibility to explain to clients and family members what they should and should not do as they go through treatment and recovery. Nurses must quickly respond to patients needs. Every individual nurse has his or her own unique way of caring. There are so many ways to show caring that the possibilities are never ending. Nurse’s support, comfort, and help allow the patients to recover to the best of their ability. Their experiences in dealing with different patients that have unique situations on a daily basis helps the nurses become better caregivers. Therefore, every nurse is capable of demonstrating care in their respective environments.
Musculoskeletal problems are conditions that affect the bones, joints and muscles resulting in pain, inability to move the body or stiffness, swelling etc. Musculoskeletal problems affect different parts of the body which include the neck, wrists, knees, shoulders, back, waist etc. The nursing care involves handling of patients and giving adequate or complete care. In nursing care of patients, some techniques are involved which include lifting, moving or repositioning of patients. Continuous use of these techniques most times affect the body resulting in pains and body aches. In order to prevent these musculoskeletal problems, nurses should make use of lifting devices instead of
Rehabilitation Nurses are a specialized group of healthcare providers within the sphere of the medical field that focus on rehabilitation, the process of helping people physically recover from, trauma, disability or illness (The Rehabilitation Staff Nurse, n.d.). The primary purpose of a Rehabilitation Nurse revolves around creating a therapeutic environment for a patient and assisting the impaired individual reach maximum function. Generally, their role involves developing a treatment plan that encourages physical activity and helping patients adapt to a new, altered lifestyle (The Rehabilitation Staff Nurse, n.d.). Since rehab treatment relies on trust, support and motivation, the nurse-patient relationship is pivotal to reach the highest
It is about the personal understanding and treatment of the patient as an individual, interpreting the situation from their perspective. Gain a complete understanding grounded in professional and research-based knowledge of clinical practice; personal reflection and a consciousness of the patient’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviours. (Olckers, Gibbs & Duncan 2007: 2-3) Empathy involves gaining insight into patients’ backgrounds, core values, relationships and medical history through dialogue. Chochinov 2007: 1877 - 1877. Reflective Dimension:..