How Does an Inter-Professional Approach Enhance Patient Care - Essay Example

How does an Inter-professional Approach Enhance Patient Care Svita Parbhakar of Examiner How doesan Inter-professional Approach Enhance Patient Care The issue with ethics and medicine is a very interesting one - you have to get wet to take a bath! The patient is probably the most susceptible and vulnerable of the beings created. Physically on the defensive, he has come to the physician to seek for treatment for his ailing health. It's not about a car, which he can buy again, or a job that he can change, or a meal that he can choose; this is health, his life. No compromises on this one. So it's not surprising that health-care professionals are called as saviors. But do all patients get their lives saved in the manner they desire The Case for Inter-professional Treatment The importance of ancillary health services, including paramedics, nurses, physiotherapists, nutritionists and psychologists cannot be overemphasized in the least. Not long ago, it was even a sin to touch the human body; especially the opposite gender. It was just speculation as to what system exists within the human self. Then was the other extreme of the spectrum wherein excruciating methodologies (which were painful and often fatal) were employed to extract the secrets of physiology. But in contemporary times, medical care is fortunately much more intensified and complex. So much so, that it has to be admitted beyond an iota of doubt the doctor alone cannot sustain the treatment proceedings. It is only with the help of these fellow professionals that the saintly task of curing the ill can be performed. However, being in a multifaceted environment has its own challenging dynamics for the patient. Examples elucidating such experiences shall be narrated hereunder, but with the obvious ethical concern of maintaining the identity of the patient confidential. This again, is one of the issues that comes in the post-rehabilitation phase of effective patient care, that information concerning his/her treatment should not be made public without prior consent. Ethical Concerns in Patient Care While a health-care provider is offering a service, he should be wary of the ethnic, religious and gender concerns of the patient. Because ultimately, the former has to realize that his final goal is to provide patient care. And if he does not care for the patient, then, in affect, patient care has suffered. Perspectives shall always be different in ethics. The cause of the patient care, however, shall be eternally consistent. Interestingly, in a prolonged treatment module, one can appreciate that the patient ultimately spends less time with the doctor, and more time with the ancillary health-care professionals. Henceforth, it becomes all the more essential for them to realize and identify with the needs of the patient. A very comprehensive yet lucid representation of guidelines for nursing practitioners (NMC code of professional conduct, 2004, p. 3) states precisely guidelines on the same lines: "A registered nurse in caring for patients and clients must: respect the patient or client as an individual, obtain consent before you give any treatment or care, protect confidential information, co-operate with others in the team" This clearly goes on to show the emphasis that is laid upon the teaching and training of nurses from the grass-root level. Worth noting are also the factors of 'confidentiality' and 'co-operating with others in the team'. Though a nurse may be professionally quite capable, but unless the feelings of the patient are appropriately empathized with, provisioning of effective health care may be seriously hampered. Not surprisingly, congruent to this is the stance of physiotherapists. In an equally respected brochure by the 'Chartered Society of Physiotherapists', it is stated: "Physiotherapists agree common goals with the patient, multi-disciplinary team and wider care-givers and family" (Core Standards of Physiotherapy Practice, 2005, p. 33). Mutual co-operation for the one cause of humanitarian patient care is henceforth visible from such representations of the manifestos of the health care bodies. All services have to go hand-in-hand in order to provide for the best sustenance of the patient. And this will only be accomplished if the perspective of the patient is fully understood. Case Study As mentioned earlier, with due regards to the confidentiality of the patient, the source of this case study shall not be disclosed. This patient was a 60 year old ailing woman, who had prior history of complaints in the spine. An unfortunate slip at her door step had resulted in a traumatic fall, which actualized a disk slip at the lower spine accompanied by severe impairment of hip movement. Admitted at once in the intensive care, she survived two surgeries and was sent to the orthopedic ward for weeks of surveillance. Here the challenge began, of the ancillary health services. The doctors had appropriately predetermined a course of treatment, with respective medicines, and only time would give them their feedback. But who was to sustain the wrath and agony of the patient during all this time The easy answer went in search of the nurses and the physiotherapists. Irritable by consequence of age and disease, managing her was by no means an easy task. The nurses had to ensure that she took her medicines and injections at time, and that she was washed up adequately. The physiotherapists, on the other hand, had to make sure that the little movement in the hips could be sustained and built upon in these weeks, so that a progressive road to recovery could be sought. The first two weeks were the most difficult ones. The consultant physiotherapist was on a conference abroad, and the make-shift arrangement was a fresh graduate. Though pure in his intentions, yet he was reasonably raw in his approach. He preferred a separate time with the lady, and used to give her stern instructions about how and how not to move. When the nurse on duty used to come, she of course had no idea of his instructions and used to move the lady in appropriate convenience for usage of the bed pan. This resulted in increased turmoil for the patient, and a silent rift between the two health care parties erupted. However, things changed for the good once the consultant returned. She at once took heed to the matter, and convened a meeting with the head-nurse of the ward. A modus operandi was chalked out, and it was decided that all physiotherapy sessions were to be attended by the nurse on duty. It was further agreed that any significant movement of the patient in other hours would be reported to the physiotherapist immediately. After only the third week, significant progress was witnessed, as the moans of the old lady gradually silenced. She was now much more comfortable with her positioning, and was more receptive to the oral and physical treatment. The confidence level between the patient and the health care providers took a steep rise, and the lady actually started looking forward to the sessions as she thought everybody was there to take care of her. In Conclusion There can be no two opinions about the fact that health care is the basic right of every individual. However, with the ever changing dynamics of the health care facilities, and with the increasing specialty of the health care providers, every day owns up to a new challenge for the patient. What has to be remembered that the patient is the same old human being that has been there over the centuries, and the basics of care and support have never changed over time. All the patient seeks is affection and solace; both of which can be easily provided if all professions unite in the cause towards providing the patient their dire right. It's the bare minimum that should be done and it requires no considerable effort; an inter-professional approach is the only humanistic and professional recipe for effective patient care. References Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004) The NMC Code of Professional Conduct: Standards for Conduct, Performance and Ethics.London: NMC. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2005) Core Standards of Physiotherapy Practice. London: CSP. Read More