“We can’t turn away from a patient’s pain just because it’s difficult” (chapman, 2015, p. 88). I know the path of least resistance is taking a path of ignorance. Easy, is to ignore or neglect the true pain patients experience in times of crisis. As caregivers I believe we all want to heal others or we wouldn’t be in the field of nursing, but there are only handfuls willing to be present during the healing process because sharing one’s pain hurts. As a surgical nurse, I find being genuinely present takes hard work on my behalf, not only mentally but emotionally. On a unit where patient’s needs and conditions are changing at astonishing rates, being present requires mental strength in order slow down enough to recognize the value presence …show more content…
More often than not positive patient outcomes come from these procedures, but not without challenges along the road to recovery. Recently I had a patient that underwent a bowel resection with establishment of an end colostomy for the treatment of her diverticulitis. Fortunate, the procedure went without complications from a surgeon’s point of view, but sadly this was not the case for the patient. Caring for this patient postoperatively presented great opportunity for me to practice presence. The pain and suffering my patient was experiencing had nothing to do with the mechanical aspect of her surgery, but rather the emotional craters created by discovering her colostomy bag. For the patient, a colostomy was the absolute worst case scenario. New colostomies require frequent attention from nurses; checking for viable tissue, emptying output, and watching for signs of infection. Each time I assessed the ostomy humiliation and shame consumed her spirit and body. After the second flood of these emotions, I stopped dead in my tracks, pulled up a chair and asked the patient “how are you feeling”. A constant stream of tears ran down her face as she expresses to me the fear she has in telling her significant other that she will forever have “a bad of feces” on the outside of her abdomen. My heart cried for her! I couldn’t imagine how she must feel. As a woman, she previously viewed her body as a sacred part of her that she was able to share with her partner, but she no longer felt beautiful and sexy, but rather a disgrace. Her painful emotions struck my heart like a bolt of lightning, how was I supposed to help her see the beauty of this colostomy? In the end, it was my time and patience coupled with positive affirmations that relieved her fears of the unknown. I had every opportunity to place ignorance at the frontline of my care and ignore the obvious
I often ask myself, “Can I handle it?” I learned from other doctors that in order to provide the best care, a physician must be able to detach himself or herself from the patient; they say it would be better for both the doctor and the patient. But, with that kind of thinking, the doctor is not fully giving himself to the patient. So, is it right to not fully give oneself to care for the patient? Learning from Patrick Dismuke and those who loved him, it seemed that the hospital was able to care for him best by loving him. Nurse Kay, Patrick’s favorite nurse, not only answered his late night calls, but enjoyed talking with him. This always calmed Patrick down before and/or after surgery. Dr. Aceves was always optimistic and hopeful for the future of Patrick’s health, never giving up on him by pushing for surgery. He did this because he knew Patrick all 16 years and was emotionally attached to the boy, even though Patrick did not feel the same way. Thus, though I can understand that a physician must put a wall between himself or herself and the patient, there should still be a strong connection in which they would do anything for the patient’s comfort and
Patients can find great comfort in knowing they are not the only ones going through such a horrible experience. In an environment of people with something in common, everyone is much more likely to open up and share their innermost feelings and fears.
I have been a registered nurse for the past six years. I started my nursing career in a long-term care facility where I worked for a year and half . I always wanted to challenge myself so l left long-term care and went to work in the intensive care unit for four years where I saw how people with diabetes are suffering when the disease in not managed well. I am currently working in post anesthesia care unit(PACU) where I recover many patients with diabetes complications post-surgery. I am committed in the innovation in order to provide an effective care for the people suffering from diabetes. For many years the disease has been killing people and introduction of the control tools will help in making the condition manageable. The innovation
The nurse’s first year of practice is the time to acquire new skills and build knowledge and confidence upon the same. Due to deficiency of skills, practical experience, and conflicts in the theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge during the initial phase of their employment, Registered Nurses (RN) face a lot of problems and challenges. Due to these gaps of knowledge, fresh graduates have a lot of stress to perform equivalent to the experienced nurses, which they find difficult. Due to this self-expectation and the expectation on the part of employers and senior nurses newly qualified nurses feel a lot of stress. Fresh nurses consider themselves ready to perform at the new job placements but find themselves not on par with
Ask someone to depict a nurse, what will they tell you? Many hold the stance that the nursing profession is composed of angelic people in starched white uniforms, primarily women, whose main focus is patient care and following doctor’s orders. This image, though iconic and attractive to some, is not accurate when applied to modern nurses. In an effort to assess the attributes currently needed of nurses, I interviewed Jordan Kreklau. Ms. Kreklau is 25 years old and attained her BSN from The University of Eau Claire in May 2014. After attaining her RN license in July 2014, she was hired on for the medical/surgical unit at St. Joseph’s in Marshfield, WI, where she had worked as a graduate student. In 2015, she also began working in a progressive
...nate in their work and genuinely care for their patients, but to do this they must set professional and personal boundaries and be aware of the effect pain; trauma and death may have on their lives. According to Bush (2009), nurses must learn forgiveness and love themselves to prevent and overcome compassion fatigue. “Nurses should treat themselves with the empathy and compassion that they give others” (Bush, 2009, p. 27). Nurses should take time to nurture themselves by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet. They should also continue to participate in activities that they enjoy, get plenty of rest, and have a sense of self-awareness throughout their career. Additional resources are available to any caregiver to educate themselves on compassion fatigue at The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project’s web site at http://www.compassionfatigue.org/index.html.
Chloe was anxious I knew this because during general observation Chloe had an increased heart rate. Chloe looked pale and when using touch to reassure Chloe I noticed that her pales felt sweaty to touch. Chloe also told me she felt nervous about the central catheter insertion. The doctor reassured Chloe through conversation prior to the central venous catheter insertion.
Financial support for students comes from local, state, and federal agencies. Several examples Lu shared was that quarterly the nursing hours she expends attending to special needs children are reviewed and they receive state reimbursement from Medicaid. Also, due to the number of low income students at the school, they receive money from being part of the federal food program.
1. What is the difference between a. and a. Which K, S, and A pertain to the care you provided to the patient you have chosen? Why do you need to be a member? K- Describe the limits and boundaries of therapeutic patient-centered care. S- Assess levels of physical and emotional comfort.
How did you become interested in the New Graduate Nurse Residency Program at Children 's Hospital Colorado?
The role of nurse practitioner in the Canadian healthcare system is relatively new compared to the traditional roles of doctors and registered nurses, and as with any new role, there are people who oppose the changes and others who appreciate them. Some members of the public and the healthcare system believe that the addition of the nurse practitioner (NP) role is an unnecessary change and liability to the system because it blurs the line between a doctor and a nurse; this is because nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional training (usually a masters degree) that allows them to expand their scope of practice into some areas which can be treated by doctors. Other people feel that nurse practitioners can help provide additional primary care services, while bridging communication between nurses and doctors. There are always legitimate challenges to be overcome when changing a system as complicated as healthcare,
ANA defines Professional nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations” (ANA, 2010, p. 10). In order to gain professional competency and integrity amongst the nursing care professionals, certain guidelines should be stipulated, which can direct the nursing care towards growth. For example, to develop policies, set standards and regulations for nursing practice, to maintain a thorough system for licensure and certification of nurses, accreditation procedure and to postulate and monitor the code of ethics.
I attentively listened while Mrs. X shared her feelings including her struggles to accept the truth of her situation. I was able to recognize and respond to my patient’s needs and emotions. Compassion was also evident when I listened and supported my patient in silence while she prayed. Roach (2002) described compassion as the “participation in the experience of another” (p. 50). It is the ability to immerse oneself in the patient situations so one can attempt to understand what the patient is feeling. Compassion allowed me to genuinely offer the gift of authentic presence, while conveying a since interest in my patient’s story. I integrated active listening and therapeutic touch to establish a compassionate atmosphere, in which the patient could express her fears and work towards growth and healing (Caranto, 2015). Competence was apparent in my ability to perform an adequate assessment. I recognized my patient’s physical, psychological, and environmental needs. Through rapport and therapeutic communication, I identified my patient’s concerns and fears for the future. Competence was also evident in my capacity to integrate a plan of care that centered not only on addressing identified fears, but also on discovering hope for the future. I displayed confidence by believing in my abilities to care for this patient despite the presenting challenges. I recognized that establishing rapport with the
This past month I received a phone call from my dad, he was in the hospital again, this time a broken ankle. Last year my father ended up in the Hospital with a broken back, specifically the L-1 plate of his spine. Admitted to Doylestown Hospital, a great hospital with knowledgeable staff, he was going to be there for a few weeks before he would be discharged and sent home. Where he ended up stuck in his bed for 4 months. Again, I had to go back to that place, The Hospital, where many feelings and energies afloat in its atmosphere, that cause mixed feelings throughout it. By seeing other people in similar or worse situations, it provides us with thoughts that’s are uneasy. I did not want to revisit but, it was time to go back to the hospital.
Always curious about the medical field and how the human body functions, I have constantly forced my parents to take me to their hospitals since I was 8 years old. Stubbornness has always been one of my traits ever since I was a kid. I would observe my parents perform various surgeries, comfort families, take care of patients and their families, which taught me to be compassionate. At my father’s hospital, I would voluntarily meet patients, their families, and children’s at times; playing and helping them soothe their pain through jokes and candy. This experience helped me built an ability to connect with people on a more personal level.