Transition of a Discharged Patient - Research Paper Example

? Transition of a Discharged Patient Transition of a Discharged Patient Introduction This paper is about the transition of a patient, Ms M, recently discharged from hospital after undergoing surgery. The 70-year-old Ms M has undergone Right Axillo femoral bypass and repair femoral false aneurysm. The pressing objective after discharge is to watch over the improvement of her diet and the need to limit her movements. These are the two primary conditions necessary for her healing. The need to manage and monitor Ms M’s condition after discharge relates to her high level of vulnerability to coronary artery disease and prevention of frequent hospital visits. My role as a nurse involves the management of care after discharge in order to enhance the healing process of the patient. Particularly, this will entail the dissemination of the right kind of information necessary to enhance the healing process o the patient. The home environment can be regulated in a manner that fosters the healing process. Without such regulation, it could turn potentially dangerous to the patient. This process of management involves an acknowledgement of the deficiencies of the home environment and the need to manage the discharge process and the intervening period in ways that add value to the healing process. For Ms M’s condition, these conditions revolve empowering her with sufficient knowledge to enable her to manage aspects of her own recovery. It will also involve the process of empowering the family members with the right kind of information that will be necessary in the provision of family support in the course of her healing process. The intervention also considered matters related to diet, which forms part of the key requirements of her quick recovery. Experience of transition to home After her discharge, Ms M will undergo healing in an environment of solitude. She is a widow and stays alone as her children mother and sisters live in different places. Her husband died of graft vs host disease after undergoing a transplant. Although she receives occasional support from her visiting children, she requires constant watch and help in order to protect her from strenuous physical activity. Although she lives separately from her mother and the rest of the family, Ms M enjoys close correspondence and contact with all of them. This support would constitute significant positive force to aid in the healing process. Except for her mother, other members of the family demonstrate strength and understanding of her condition. Her son shows up occasionally to assist her with menial tasks around the home. Ms M deliberately shields her mother from the truth of her health condition fearing that she might panic. Nevertheless, she demonstrates remarkable courage and enthusiasm, which are essential in the healing process. One challenge is that the family members available to assist her may not have the necessary information and expertise of handling Ms M in her present condition. While at the hospital, Ms M was under the care of competent medical personnel. Furthermore, her diet received proper regulated and her eating monitored. The hospital environment was generally conducive for her healing process to take place. However, this schedule changed after discharge. She had to fend for herself and live her life away from the guidance and monitoring of trained professionals. It is in line with the realization of the attendant challenges that a follow-up program became necessary. The overarching intention to create conditions and an environment of support and the provision of necessary support for faster healing in recognition of the unique challenges and difficulties, which Ms M faces. Patient’s episodic health needs The patient Ms M was diagnosed with Right renal artery stenosis, right femoral false aneurysm, severe disease in her superficial femoral arteries. This condition necessitated a surgical procedure on the Right Axillo femoral bypass and repair femoral false aneurysm. In the past the patient suffered from hypertension, dyslipidemia and GERD. She also has a history of pulmonary embolism, and sciatica. Presently she shows a slight thickening of the aortic valve leaflets and calcification in the mitral valve annulus. Medically, this is a risk factor of CAD. These health conditions require that the patient handle herself delicately in order to avoid the negative impacts that attach to the disease. It is possible to determine some of the challenges facing the patient from the perspective of environmental difficulties. In general terms, the conditions relating to the patient’s challenges are affected by multiple environmental factors, which could work positively and negatively on the healing process. Methods of assessment A combination of conversation and questionnaire was used as a method of assessment. The suitability of these methods relates to the fact that the patient demonstrated good judgment and a willingness to participate in both. Questions were asked relating to personal and health matters of the patient. The objective was to find the most comprehensive picture to be relied upon in the development of the concepts about the most suitable approach of managing the diseases. Particular questions helped in furnishing an understanding about the most relevant aspects about the life of the patient. The questions were addressed to the particular areas that formed the objective of the discharge transition. They were aimed at obtaining information regarding the matter on whether it would be possible to determine the learning needs of the patient. Concept The guiding concept is based on the idea of behavioral and self-empowerment. This concept makes it possible for the management of individuals by encouraging to take a lead in situations where their interests are primary. The patient in this case is not a passive recipient of medical intervention processes. Instead, she is a core-creator of the solution that is sought for. This concept is suitable for the case of Ms M because she deserves to be empowered in order to help in the management of her condition. The missing link is the dissemination of the right kind of information that could help her to understand the necessary measures to take in order to hasten the healing process and minimize the possibilities of readmission at the hospital. Studies have found out that diet-conscious patients are less likely to return to healthcare facilities for readmission as compared to other categories of patients (Wiseman, 2002; Chernoff, 2008). The concept of behavioral change is particularly necessary for Ms M because she lives almost in solitude, and would require sufficient and resourceful information to help her manage her condition. It is also necessary because she could be lacking in the right kind of information that could help her change her life towards a more informed approach on matters of health. Intervention Approach The process of intervention will depend significantly on the need to revise the diet of the patient towards one that aligns with her condition. The most important thing in the strategy would be to assess the level of knowledge that the patient has regarding her diet patterns. Next it would be appropriate to find out her routine patterns in order to assess its suitability with the recommended diet. After this exercise, it would be important to provide the patient with lessons regarding proper nutrition. The patient’s main need now is proper nutrition. The learning plan would consist of a structured method that would contain information about some specific aspects of diet. Such specifics would entail particular kinds of food that would be necessary to enhance the healing process and strengthen the patient’s immune system (Pamplona-Roger, 2004; Balch, 2006). This would enable the patient to internalize the new information and make determined efforts for change. The same kind of information shall be made available to the patient’s family members in order to make them supportive to the patient’s needs. Conclusion This paper discussed the discharge transition process for Ms M who has undergone a surgical operation for Right Axillo femoral bypass and repair femoral false aneurysm. The paper discussed the requirements for the discharge transition for the 70-year-old woman who spends most of her life in solitude. Her health challenges were addressed in terms of her chances of improvement at the home setting. The paper developed a structured and systematic approach that would be used in providing knowledge about nutrition, which is the main need of the patient. Other social and domestic factors necessary for the improvement of the patient’s condition were equally explored. References Balch, P., A. (2006). Prescription for Nutritional Healing. London: Penguin. Chernoff, R. (2008). Geriatric Nutrition: The Health Professional's Handbook: The Health Professional's Handbook. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2008 Pamplona-Roger, G. (2004). Foods That Heal. New York: Review and Herald Pub Assoc, 2004 Wiseman, G. (2002). Nutrition and Health. New York: Taylor & Francis. Read More