Safeguarding the Older Adult on an Adult Ward - Essay Example

Safeguarding Safeguarding the Older Adult on an Adult Ward Introduction: Safeguarding is a process of giving protection to individuals who are at risk like vulnerable adults, against neglect and abuse. Abuse does not only include physical or verbal abuse. They are of different types and can occur at home, hospital wards, at work or in nursing homes (Age UK, 2013). Physical Abuse means if a person is hurt because of irresponsible and unreasonable attitude of the other person who could also be a health care professional. Emotional Abuse is indicated by humiliation or bullying or hurting the emotions of a person by any means. Financial abuse means taking advantage of one’s disability using his/her money wrongfully whereas sexual abuse means forced to involve in sex. The term neglect means not getting appropriate services, facilities, treatment and stuff which make you feel comfortable and safe. Mostly older adults who live in old homes or on their own are at risk of abuse. Apart from them, older adults with mental disabilities in hospitals are at great risk to get harmed due to their disability and dependency (Tidy, 2013). The older adults are people above the age of 65 referring to the retirement age (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2010). They are frail and dependent and are at great risk of getting abused. This paper will discuss how older adults in adult wards are safeguarded and which issues are mostly faced depending upon the particular scenarios. Safeguarding is based on different principles including protection, empowerment, prevention, partnership, accountability and proportionate responses. These principles are followed in order to ensure safeguarding to patients depending upon their cases. In adult wards, safeguarding patients of old age are a very challenging task. While safeguarding patients the health care providers encounter several issues. As, in the old age people become very weak a slight physical harm may result into bruises or fractures so they need to be handled with extreme care. As the older adults in my ward are also suffering from mental disabilities, it is very difficult to make them understand about anything. They are almost unable to protect themselves or even participate in decision making, therefore, the responsibilities on the care providers become much higher. Another issue is that as the older adults are vulnerable for being mistreated because of being mentally handicapped their risk for getting abuse multiplies (Pritchard, 2008). Being an adult nurse in the adult ward it is also my responsibility to ensure anti discriminatory practices in the health care. The anti discriminatory practices are meant to discourage an environment of prejudice particularly against racism, gender, age and disability. I put all efforts in eradicating discrimination during practice by treating all the patients equally without any gender, sex, age or disease inequity (Cooke & Philpin, 2008). Scenario I work in an adult nursing branch of an adult ward. Practicing safeguarding principles is very necessary for this ward as the patients are older adults with chronic diseases. Mr. Tim Candy is a 68 years old patient suffering with bipolar disorder. In this disease the patient experiences swings of mood and severe depression (Smith & Segal, 2014). This patient has attempted twice for suicides during the phase of depression. He does not have control over his feelings. He had a son who lives in the same city, and his wife died ten years ago. He has been admitted in the ward for last few months. He used to live with his family when his disease gradually progressed. His son admitted him in the hospital after his first suicide attempt. Mr. Tim used to be very dull and inactive in the initial days of his admission in the ward. He never used to participate in any group activities performed in the ward between different patients. The only time he showed happiness was when his son used to visit him. Safeguarding this patient from abuse is a very different experience for me. This emotionally compromised older adult was not in his senses to control anything. He met financial abuse by one on the member of paramedical staff. His son visited him and handed over some amount to him so that he could write letters or spend them the way we wanted. His money was stolen on the same day in night shift. On investigating, the theft was discovered, and the employee was punished as per hospital rules. For safeguarding this patient from the next time all precious belongings of patients are being kept in the locker under the supervision of head staff nurse with entry on the register. As the patient is mostly unconscious, so he has to be handled very patiently. Once I found a nurse harshly scolding this patient as he was not cooperating in taking medicine. She also used slang language calling him a ‘useless creature. This made the patient very sad, and he started to cry and cursed the nurse. I took serious action on this emotional abuse and discrimination due to disability by reporting to the senior. All the staff was strictly warned not to show any rudeness with the patients. The nurse was given termination warning if she repeated her harsh behavior again. I strongly condemn the biased thinking between nurse and patients. I observed that because of the old age and maniac condition Mr. Tim was not given provision of choosing food of his own choice. During physical and mental group activities he was being set aside and no body bothered to help him participate. Following the anti discriminatory practices I used to ensure that he gets access to all type of facilities like other patients. As the patient was suffering from mental disability he needed special concern to be an active member of the ward. Therefore, I strictly asked nurses to make certain that Mr. Tim is also taking part in ward activities and is not facing any kind of discrimination. By taking these strict actions it was observed that not only the nurses who deviated from the rules accepted their mistakes and attempted to follow the legal obligations they have regarding patient care, other fellow nurses also learned the lesson and a clear and distinct betterment in service was observed. The patients became more satisfied and cooperative with the medical staff and the environment of the ward became more organized and disciplined. Not only this a gross change in health outcomes and recovery of patients was observed due to their cooperative behavior with the staff and their interest level was also increased in getting recovered. Discussion Different policies and laws govern the implication of safeguarding principles. No Secrets defines abuse and provides an infrastructure for social work agencies to format strategies for handling abuse (Ash, 2014). Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, identifies a system that help employers to check the employees if they are following safeguarding principles. The mental Capacity Act 2005 also helps in the safeguarding decision-making right of the vulnerable groups. The POVA (Protection of Vulnerable Adults) list the charges against the person who has mistreated or neglected patients with no capacity. Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Professional Conduct (2004) clearly defines the role of nurses in giving health support, proper care and protection of the rights of the patients. Practitioner-Client Relationships and the Prevention of Abuse (NMC 2002) assert that there should be zero tolerance to abuse in an environment. It has been noted that although laws and policies are there but these are not followed properly to ensure their implication (Heath & Sturdy, 2007). As in case of Mr. Tim he was victimized of emotional and financial abuse along with discrimination due to his disability and age factors. If the NMC code of conduct and different rules would have been strictly followed there would have been an unbiased culture in the ward free from abuse. In order to assure that the rules are followed by the medical staff it is integral to make them understand the importance of delivering high quality patient care services. The concepts of safeguarding, discrimination and other important approaches in ensuring improved health outcomes should be made clear to the nurses by delivering lectures and encouraging group talks and discussions. Implications for Practice In order to obtain improved health care outcomes, it is important to make certain that the laws and policies related to safeguarding older adults, and other vulnerable groups should be followed. For ensuring the practical approach on these laws it is important to make rules which assure that whosoever deviate from the regulations against abuse and discrimination will be punished or even fired. Staff training and awareness programs should be conducted to improve the outcomes (Faulkner & Sweeney, 2011). To avoid discrimination and abuse which was observed in case of Mr. Tim, the hospital administration should provide trainings to the staff particularly nurses by inviting members from law governing authorities, social work agencies and health sector to address the nurses on the benefits of safeguarding, anti discriminatory practices and patient care rights. The independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is a very good initiative in ensuring better safeguarding of vulnerable individuals (Sarah, 2009). The progress and performance of nurses should be evaluated based on how closely they follow the rules related to patient care including the principles of safeguarding and anti discrimination practices. List of References Age UK, 2013. Safeguarding older people from abuse. Scotland: Age Cymru. Ash, A., 2014. Safeguarding Older People from Abuse. New york: Policy Press. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2010. Background: Older adults. [Online] Available at: https://knowledgex.camh.net/policy_health/mhpromotion/mhp_older_adults/Pages/bkgrnd_older_adults.aspx [Accessed 13 August 2014]. Cooke, H. & Philpin, S., 2008. Sociology in Nursing and Healthcare. 1st ed. London: Elsevier Health Sciences. Faulkner, A. & Sweeney, A., 2011. Safeguarding Adults:the role of health services; Analysis of the impact on equality. London: Social care institute of excelence. Heath, H. & Sturdy, D., 2007. Vulnerable adults; the prevention, recongnition and management of abuse. Harrow: RCN Publishing Company NHS. Pritchard, J., 2008. Good Practice in Safeguarding Adults: Working Effectively in Adult Protection. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Sarah, 2009. Safeguarding Vulnerable Older People (Abuse and Neglect). [Online] Available at: http://www.bgs.org.uk/index.php/topresources/publicationfind/goodpractice/88-safeguarding-vulnerable-older-people-abuse-and-neglect [Accessed 13 August 2014]. Smith, M. & Segal, J., 2014. Bipolar Disorder Signs & Symptoms. [Online] Available at: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/bipolar_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm [Accessed 13 August 2014]. Tidy, C., 2013. Safeguarding Adults. [Online] Available at: http://www.patient.co.uk/health/safeguarding-adults-leaflet [Accessed 13 August 2014]. Read More