Problem Solving and Care Provision
Discussion Paper
Good health helps old people enjoy a good quality of life and participate fully in the community. It also diminishes their need for health and elderly care services. This is considered an important issue as the population ages over future decades(Aihw.gov.au, 2014).
For this reason, developing the health of the elderly is one of the most important national research priorities in the healthcare division(Irvine, 2009). One area of special attention is healthy lifestyle adoption at the elderly stage, as its benefits comprise preventing functional decline and disease and endorsing longer life and better quality of life.
The inspiration associated with wellness uses the inductively improved wellness inspiration theory and instructs nursing professionals as they review behavioral and contextual change aspects pertinent to every individual before facilitating aim and the development of a plan.
Miller’s Functional Consequences Theory provides a wellness promotion framework for elderly adults by assisting nursing professionals in identifying their capability for growth and applying wellness nursing analyses to promote a sense of dignity and value(Miller, 2009).
Functional Consequences Theory directs nursing professionals to apply a holistic perspective of spirit, body, and mind interrelatedness while dealing with elderly adults. This theory conceives of risk-associated factors, age-related alterations, and well-designed consequences, either positive and/or negative.
Elderly people are at higher risk for severe illnesses, geriatric syndromes and functional decline. While knowledge regarding health complications take place within the elderly adults is raising and care coordination and management models for these population with chronic infirmities and complicated health care requirements are growing, knowledge paucity is still remaining about the modes to support continued growth within the elderly populations(Anderson, 2007).
The increased application of wellness, a conception whose crucial characteristics comprise promoting expansion by realizing potential and enhancing strengths, is thought to assist in identifying this problem(McMahon and Fleury, 2012).
Wellness development as a concept applicable to geriatric nursing and elderly adults has been controlled by its progression over several decades and application in different disciplines, such as psychology and medicine.
It has been recognized that various factors affect clinical decision-making. These are personal values, patient preference, authority and tradition, and justice(Daniels, 2004). Clinical judgment-making is a consequence and a factor of medical reasoning.
Quality clinical judgment-making is said to be a significant factor in excellent clinical practice. Indicators assist skills. The indicators need to be implemented in the precise practice setting of individual nursing professionals and can be further improved to identify exact practice contexts and needed competencies.
Ethical practice and patient-centred care or holistic approaches are considered nursing competencies(Ulrich et al., 2010). Nursing professionals practice within a structure of professional responsibility and accountability, and they follow professional regulations, legislation, and rules pertinent to their care setting and practice scope.
They implement comprehensive and accurate ethical principles, knowledge, and the Code of Professional Conduct in their professional practice while delivering nursing care for the elderly (Wheeler, 2011). Nursing professionals also implement knowledge, respect, and protect the cultural practices, beliefs, and rights of the elderly population(Eliopoulos, 2010).
They advocate on behalf of older adults to protect their rights. They support patients’ right to lead independent lives based on choice and self-determination and guarantee sufficient protection for the elderly, who are incapable of making their own decisions and protecting themselves, their material assets, and their physical and mental integrity.
In the domain of patient-centred care approaches, nursing professionals conduct systematic, holistic evaluations of this population’s requirements and depend upon evidence-supported practice and nursing theory(Nuss, 2013).
The indicators comprise performing a comprehensive evaluation of the elder population that covers complete history taking, detection of health-associated risk factors, and physical examination(Bell, 2014). Nurses involve the family members of elderly patients along with the elderly adults as active associates to recognize expectations, perspectives, and needs.
The nurses administer and select reliable, age-appropriate and valid evaluation and screening tools. Another indicator includes application and integration knowledge of age associated alterations; depend on understanding of cognitive, psychological, spiritual, physiological and social functioning(Sepucha, Fowler and Mulley, 2004). While nursing professionals are practising within these care domains, maintaining dignity and choice for older people is of utmost importance(Gallagher, 2004).
In Amalie’s case, her general physician referred her to the community health service for the management of her two major health issues, weight loss and vision problems. From the case study, it is known that Amalie migrated from Germany to Australia, which can be considered a major social issue.
She speaks English and German, but she speaks with a strong German accent, and sometimes, people find it difficult to understand. Two issues that can be focused on are one related to her health and another related to her cultural and linguistically diverse background.
The community nurse should understand Amalie’s physical symptoms and is responsible for properly assisting her while administering the prescribed medications. Nursing assistance to a client like Amalie, who has come from a CALD background, requires serious attention(Legalaid.qld.gov.au, 2014).
The aim is to provide help to Amalie, who has difficulty understanding and discussing legal facts without a predictor. In this case study, it is seen that Amalie does not seek an interpreter; therefore, it is rather difficult to evaluate whether she requires one.
Even if she can speak Basic English, that does not mean that she understands written English or is capable of understanding complex legal instructions. Therefore, the community nurse might be confused about whether to assist Amalie with an interpreter.
In this condition, it is always recommended that an interpreter be used. This confusion can be clarified by asking a few questions to the patient with a CALD background(Legalaid.qld.gov.au, 2014).
For example: “are you getting me what I am saying about your poor vision and weight management?” or “I will be using few legal terms that can be hard to comprehend. So, would you like me to involve an interpreter in our discussion?” (Legalaid.qld.gov.au, 2014)
If the patient is confused about her confidentiality, it is the nurses’ responsibility to make the patient understand that a professional interpreter assists both the healthcare professional and the client in communicating more efficiently.
The Code of Ethics binds them and requires them to uphold patient confidentiality and value privacy(Peate, Wild, and Nair, 2014). Efficient communication within the nursing system plays an important role. Therefore, by understanding patients’ needs and with proper support, better patient management, patient well-being, and a better health outcome can always be achieved in the health care system.
Amalie, being an 89years old female suffering with different type of health complications. Her general physician has prescribed various medicines but in this age it is very difficult to maintain proper modification schedule. Amalie skips or forgets to take medicines when she is in immense pain.
Therefore, the community nurse should understand this issue and assist Amalie by clearly writing dos and don’ts or providing a template. Amalie is suffering from joint stiffness, enlarged joints, swollen feet, and painful joints in her hip, fingers, back, and knee, which limit her joint movement.
These contribute to her mobility issues. The nurses should control her pain and relieve her from the painful symptoms. Nurse can refer to physiotherapist who can assist Amalie with light aerobic movements and light massage.
They can also contact services that provide walking aids and support aids like a wheelchair. Amalie has also developed macular degeneration, hence reducing her vision. Therefore, the nurse should make sure whether she needs a support with glass or need to undergo any type of surgical assistance.
This is to ensure Amalie’s safety as she stays alone at home. Self-management of osteoarthritis helps Amalie improve her health. Her house is also messy, and her cupboards are bare except for some soup tins, baked goods, and beans.
The nursing assessment mentioned that Amalie is nutritionally efficient. The community nurse needs to take care of this problem. Amalie is suffering from weight loss, arthritis, and osteoarthritis and needs immense nutritional support.
The community nurse should refer her to a dietician who can schedule her effective diet plan. It is the nurse’s responsibility to ensure that Amalie follows a proper nutritional diet plan, which might help her overcome her nutritional deficiency.
Thus, considering different issues, it is justified to mention that the community nurse should assist Amalie in performing her daily living activities.
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