Reflective Essay On Nursing Care And Patient Experience

Introduction –Purpose and to orientate your reader

This essay discusses the experiences of patients in hospitals and points out how to improve the same. It also portrays the role of the nurses in a hospice and some of the important values that nurses should have such as compassion, humanity and positivity. The essay also discusses the necessity of efficacy in health care settings to avoid delay in care provision and reduce the number of awaiting patients (Zuidgeest, 2011). Finally, the paper outlines the importance of providing all the necessary information to clients to enable themtomake a knowledgeable decision on their treatment procedure and have a thorough understanding of their medical condition.

Description- High quality nursing means a good experience for the patient and can be achieved through prompt, safe and effective intervention by nurses as well as portraying a positive attitude with humanity and compassion. Nurses should also take a holistic approach and provide continuous care for the patient’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing (Shahriar et al., 2013).  In Mr Taylor’s scenario, the patient had an awful experience in a public hospital where he had to wait for 11 hours before receiving health care. He, however, had no complaints about the kind of treatment he obtained from his General Practitioner (GP) as there were no delays. He had an x-ray to find out the exact effects of his fall. His doctor also took the proper measures for him to have surgery. The surgeon was very honest and ensured Mr Taylor thoroughly understood his procedure before its incidence. He also sent him to a physiotherapist to enhance his healing.

Feelings and thoughts- I think it was very unfortunate that the public hospital was personnel were very busy on the day Mr Taylor sought treatment. In my opinion, they did the best they could taking into account the large number of patients they were receiving who required more immediate treatment than Mr Taylor. Humanity and compassion are two values I strongly believe in. Delivering immediate health care to patients who need it most is an indication of compassion and humanity by the health care providers. I think it is a good thing Mr Taylor understood this and did not get angry due to the delay he was caused. Good ethics and values were portrayed by his doctor and the surgeon

Values and beliefs- In hospital settings, immediate action,compassion and reliability are required. Immediate action is especially important if the patient has an emergency condition. This can help save the patient’s life. Immediate action is also important to me as a nurse as it helps me to prioritize my schedule among my patients according to who needs the most care. Compassion coupled with a holistic approach towards a patient’s needs vastly improves their hospital experience and are more satisfied with the care they receive. Effective communication is important as it leads to a bond in health care between the care provider and the patient which makes the process more efficient.

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Analysis- Inadequate care was provided for Mr Taylor in the public hospital due to the huge number of patients. They, however, managed to give him some codeine to relieve his pain every 3 to 4 hours. Collaboration and teamwork among health care professionals, adequate staffing, and autonomy in nursing practice are some of the key factors that enhance patient experience in hospitals (Kieft et al., 2014).  It is not identified in the case study what the exact problem was in the public hospital. However, staffing challenges could have been an issue that led to an inability by the health professionals to provide prompt care to the awaiting clienteles. Lack of collaborative relationships and reliability of the nurses on physicians’ decisions could also have been contributing aspects (Al Shammari et al., 2017). The pre-mentioned factors hinder efficiency in carrying out activities causing a delay in hospital operations. Other traits that improve patient experience in a healthcare setting are professionalism, competency among care providers, a patient-centred culture as well as managerial support (Parand et al., 2014). A while before his fall, Mr Taylor complained to his GP about having trouble breathing. The doctor did not take a blood test and thus the condition deteriorated leading to his second fall (Pomey et al., 2015). This also indicates inadequate care.

Mr Taylor’s GP provided adequate care to him by sending him for an x-ray and to a surgeon immediately after his accident. He also ordered a blood test which was absolutely necessary to determine the cause of his dizziness and fall. The surgeon provided the required health care to Mr Taylor and in ethical considerations. It is required of a physician to provide all aspects of the treatment procedure to the patient inclusive of the risks associated with the treatment before the onset of the treatment. The surgeon was therefore right in being honest to ensure that Mr Taylor had a clear understanding of his treatment in order for him to make an informed decision about the same. The surgeon also sent him to the best physiotherapy to aid his healing (Pomey et al., 2015). Additionally, he kept seeing Mr Taylor even after the first interaction to verify the cause of his anemic condition via a pill camera, carry out a nose job and other necessary treatments. Mr Taylor had a good hospital experience outside of main hospitals as the nurse is caring, empathetic and compassionate and pays full attention to him.

Body of Essay – Gibbs reflection - six stages

Conclusions from the text- Lack of immediate intervention may lead to the furtherance of the patient’s morbidity as portrayed in the absence of early blood test which may have led to the second fall. It also impacts on the patient’s hospital experience as they keep on experiencing pain as indicated in Mr Taylor’s experience with the public hospital.

Immediate action, for instance, as portrayed by the GP, augments the client’s health care experience by relieving their pain. Provision of information in a hospital setting is important to enable the patient to fully grasp all the aspects of the due procedure plus its associated risks. This makes it possible for the patient to make an informed decision on whether to undergo the treatment process (Berkowitz, 2016).

Action plan- Ensuring the patients obtain immediate intervention and listening actively to their medical conditions and situations are important factors in enhancing a patient’s medical experience. To improve patient care I would show sensitivity while explaining their medical results to them and the treatment they should undergo but at the same time ensure effective communication and describe all features of the treatment process (Markides, 2011). I would then allow them adequate time to make a cognizant decision about these treatments and whether to go through with them (Pomey et al., 2015). Throughout the treatment process compassion and reliability are very important traits for all healthcare providers (Tucker et al., 2011).

Conclusion

In summary, it is evident from this essay that delays in intervening in health care situations could adversely affect the patient’s health. For instance, lack of a blood test for Mr Taylor early on may have led to his second fall. It also keeps him or her longer in pain which is unnecessary and avoidable. Hospitals thus should be intent on efficiency in their operations in order to enhance the patient's experience and improve their care. Physicians should also consider being sensitive to the patient’s feelings while providing the required treatment information.

References

Al Shammari, F., Grande, R. A. N., Vicencio, D. A., & Al Mutairi, S. (2017). Nurses’ professional values on patient care provisions and decisions. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7(9), 78.

Berkowitz, B. (2016). The patient experience and patient satisfaction: measurement of a complex dynamic. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 21(1).

Kieft, R. A., de Brouwer, B. B., Francke, A. L., &Delnoij, D. M. (2014). How nurses and their work environment affect patient experiences of the quality of care: a qualitative study. BMC health services research, 14(1), 249.

Markides, M. (2011).The importance of good communication between patient and health professionals. Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology, 33, S123-S125.

Parand, A., Dopson, S., Renz, A., & Vincent, C. (2014). The role of hospital managers in quality and patient safety: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 4(9), e005055.

Pomey, M. P., Ghadiri, D. P., Karazivan, P., Fernandez, N., &Clavel, N. (2015). Patients as partners: a qualitative study of patients’ engagement in their health care. PloS one, 10(4), e0122499.

Pomey, M. P., Hihat, H., Khalifa, M., Lebel, P., Néron, A., & Dumez, V. (2015). Patient partnership in quality improvement of healthcare services: Patients’ inputs and challenges faced. Patient Experience Journal, 2(1), 29-42.

Shahriari, M., Mohammadi, E., Abbaszadeh, A., &Bahrami, M. (2013). Nursing ethical values and definitions: A literature review. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, 18(1), 1.

Tucker, C. M., Marsiske, M., Rice, K. G., Nielson, J. J., & Herman, K. (2011).Patient-centered culturally sensitive health care: model testing and refinement. Health Psychology, 30(3), 342.

Zuidgeest, M. (2011). Measuring and improving the quality of care from the healthcare user perspective: the Consumer Quality Index. Tilburg University