Jean is an 88-year-old widow with four grown sons and numerous grandchildren. She was living alone, caring for her own home for the past 35 years since her husband died. At home, Jean could make meals, take care of her hygiene, pay her bills, and use the bathroom on her own. She had enjoyed being at home and continued to take care of herself and her home. One day she developed mild abdominal pain. She thought it was related to something she ate, but it persisted, so she decided to go to her family doctor. She was not concerned about the cost of seeing a doctor as she had excellent health care coverage under her deceased husband’s insurance. Jean was taken to the clinic and underwent lab tests and a CT scan, for which her doctor concluded she had ovarian cancer. Since the treatment would not provide a cure, she opted to let cancer take its course. The clinic nurse told Jean to call if she needed anything. Jean was a strong independent woman, as she had to be after becoming a widow at such a young age. But now, she was facing an unexpected diagnosis of cancer
ANS
In this case study, words that stand out for me include an 88-year-old widow, living alone, caring, making meals, taking care of personal hygiene, paying her bills, and using the bathroom without assistance. Besides, other words include lab tests and a CT scan, ovarian cancer, a strong independent woman, and an unexpected cancer diagnosis.
Rationally, these words stand out in the case study as they provide the background and gist of the situation as presented in the case study. They primarily help in developing a deeper understanding of the subject's (Jean) detailed behaviors. For example, in the provision of her age and the aspect of her husband's death, the case assists us in understanding some of the challenges that she had to undergo in the quest to make provisions for the family and keep in good health. Besides, in every medical situation, a patient's history is useful in determining the containment measures for the various underlying conditions, thereby making patient-centered care a possibility (Treas et al., 2018). Without proper examination of a clients' background, health service providers run the risk of recommending treatment and containment measures that, instead of increasing the recovery process, worsens it, thereby demeaning the quality of the outcome.
In this part of the case study, the included primary aspects of health are significant toward involving the patient in the care process through collaborations and shared decision-making. The main aspects of personal health included in this part comprise of emotional, social, and physical (American Nurses Association, 2015). Several factors help determine the physical aspects of health, including nutrition and diet, physical activities, medical self-care, and rest, among others, which vividly express themselves in the case. The social aspects of health also prove essential in this case as Jean remains behind with a family that she has to care for after the demise of the husband. This further blends with the emotional aspect, which also influences the quality of the outcome and the recovery process of every illness. These aspects of her old age and family are among the factors that healthcare providers must consider as respect as the patient remains actively involved in making suggestions concerning feasible treatment options like in Jean’s case.
Conversely, to achieve patient centered care, all the health stakeholders have to consider the various aspects of health, including physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Through a consideration of these aspects, every clinical decision is then guided by patient values, which then makes the care more respectful, responsive, and incorporating patients' needs and preferences (Treas et al., 2018). Furthermore, Jean's daily activities, including making meals, taking care of her hygiene, paying her bills, and using the bathroom on her own, form part of her functional ability in the home setting. Despite her age, her strength becomes explicit through these activities, and with an impressive medical cover that would not help provide a cure, it was essential in keeping her condition monitored and well attended. Therefore, while caring for her during the new diagnosis, the clinical experts must embrace a collaborative, accessible and coordinated care to ensure, physical and emotional well-being.
That is the answer to stage 1. To be used to answer these questions with more literature backup.
Question
Stage 3 Questions
Reflect on your answers to part I of the case study. Did Jean’s desire for independence stand out to you as important? If the staff knew Jean valued her independence, how could they have used this information to promote safety?
Explain how clinical forethought is used to predict potential complications and what it means to you as a future nurse.
Describe the value of seeing healthcare through the patient’s eyes. How can nurses have an impact on the lives of patients like Jean?