The current culture of care and the integration of user satisfaction in the health system is the nursing responsibility to improve the quality of care and assistance. As a profession, it is well known that one of the most important aspects of attention to the individual healthy or sick, is communication since it allows establish interactions and therapeutic relationships between walked to the restoration of health. Nevertheless, today, it continues to be relegated to the background. Skills and characteristics such as empathy, active listening, respect for the dignity of the individual, etc., must be developed in order to achieve effective communication and a therapeutic relationship satisfactory. This implies a great change in the signified take care and in the humanization of the process assistance.
In the health field, professional work includes the establishment of direct interpersonal relationships that go beyond the simple interaction between two individuals. The therapeutic relationship that is created between nurse and patient involves setting goals common, collaboration, and exchanging relations of mutual aid; from a holistic perspective.
While communicating with Barry, I will use effective techniques of verbal as well as non-verbal communication. Non-verbal techniques such as body language and gestures along with effective communication techniques will help me to develop trust and understanding with Barry. Building rapport is considered a fundamental step in the nurse and patient relationship, which makes the process of history taking and assessment very smooth. Therefore, nurses will be able to care for the patient more effectively.
Secondly, listening is another important skill that nurses should use while communicating with patients. I will listen to the patient carefully when Barry reports a medical issue to me. He is a non-medically, ordinary trained individual who does not have important vocabulary and knowledge to explain his symptoms. Good listening skills will me pick up cues during communication and identify the needs of the patient for effective management.
Another important aspect of good communication with the patient is empathy. Empathy is considered an effective principle to promote patient-centered care. Patient-centered care is part of evidence-based practice that is always emphasized in nursing practice to promote healthy outcomes for the patient. In the same way, during my communication with Barry, I will use empathy to make him feel comfortable. It will also help me to understand the patient’s situation more clearly and provide care accordingly for better outcomes.
Question 2
Major signs and symptoms that indicate the presence of mental illness in Barry include difficulty in sleeping, inability to cope with the situation, and digestive upsets. All of these signs and symptoms are associated with a mental health disorder.
Sleep disturbances are often appreciated in most patients with mental disorders and, in turn, psychiatric disorders tend to be common in patients with sleep disturbances. Sleep is affected in patients with psychiatric disorders and may sometimes predict the exacerbation of the illness or the beginning of a new crisis. The most common psychiatric causes of insomnia are psychoses, disorders of mood, disorders of anxiety, and the disorder of panic, and dementia. Patients with mental disorders cannot deviate from their problems when going to bed and they keep thinking about them at bedtime, which prevents them from taking good sleep. A similar problem occurs with Barry as he was thinking about his child and the financial stability that they face.
Barry feels difficult to cope with stressors successfully, which makes him tense and causes stress and insomnia. Inability to cope is associated with disturbance in thought process and behavior with ordinary routines and demands. Psychological disorders are related to excessive stress because of a specific event or a series of events. In Barry’s life, the major stressors are the health issues of his children and financial instability. According to the…….. A normal person can deal with daily stressors by using positive coping mechanisms and strategies. On the other hand, a person who is having some mental issues feel difficulty cope-up with these stressors which leads to anxiety and depression. When an individual feels difficulty coping with stressors, it may also disturb their other body functions such as poor digestion, increase blood pressure, and others.
Another symptom experienced by Barry was digestive upset. Usually, it is believed that poor digestion is related to disorders of the gastrointestinal system. However, research has shown that digestion has an association with the autonomic nervous system. If a person is stressed, then the fight and flight response is activated. Hormones like epinephrine are released by the body which reduces digestion and increases blood pressure. Similarly, the negative events experienced by Barry increased his stress level which made it difficult for him to digest food.
Question 3
It is important to promote health of Barry by planning and implementing strategies that are based on evidence-based practice. The first and most important step in the assessment, helps healthcare professionals to identify problems and needs of Barry.
One of the strategies that can help Barry to reduce anxiety is to improve his coping mechanism. An effective coping mechanism is a potential way to improve the psychological health of the patient, particularly in the situation of stress. According to the…….. Proper support from a spouse or parents is one of the effective strategies that can help the client to enhance his confidence level. It is also important for patient-centered care that can help nurses to implement or their plan of action successfully. ……. Has also supported the fact that a good relationship with a partner can lead to favorable outcomes for the patient. Moreover, the multidisciplinary care approach can be used as it involves healthcare professionals from different backgrounds. It will help to understand the problem of patients from multiple dimensions. For instance, the involvement of a psychologist during the psychotherapy sessions will help Barry to enhance his thinking and make this more positive. Besides this, a one-to-one counseling session will help Barry to share his concerns with the psychologist without the fear of getting judged. Through counseling sessions, the psychologist will help Barry to improve his ability to cope with stress positively.
Difficulty in sleeping is associated with a large number of negative physical and psychological outcomes. Therefore, it is necessary to plan interventions to improve the thinking ability of the Patient. Particular therapeutic interventions can address this problem. These therapeutic interventions should include pharmacological, behavioral, and psychotherapeutic strategies. Moreover, treating or managing the underlying cause can also improve sleep. Sleep hygiene along with cognitive behavioral therapy can improve his sleep. Besides this, it is important to use behavioral strategies with concurrent treatment. The nurse needs to make sure that the environment will be calm and should not have any factor that disturbs sleep such as the availability of proper lights, no sound, and many more. Besides this, the nurse should instruct the patient to avoid taking long naps in the afternoon and promote an effective sleeping schedule at the hospital as well as at home. According to the………… it is an effective strategy to use cognitive therapy with pharmacological agents if cognitive and behavioral therapy cannot work alone. It is generally known as the 2-prolonged approach, which is preferred in patients with an inability to sleep.
Question 4
Venlafaxine is an antidepressant drug that is used to treat depression. It belongs to the group called serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.
It is important to instruct the patient about its use, side effects, interactions with other medicines, and important interventions that need to teach to the patient related to that drug. Firstly, the nurse should instruct the patient that it is necessary to show compliance with the medication. Otherwise, it will not produce positive outcomes for the patient. Venlafaxine should be taken with food at the time that is given by the doctor.
Venlafaxine may cause nausea, constipation, dry mouth, unusual sweating, and nervousness. If the patient feels that any of these symptoms persist or worsen, then he should immediately tell to his doctor. It is also important to instruct the patent to get help from a doctor or any other healthcare professional when he feels an increased heart rate and increased blood pressure.
It is necessary to inform the doctor whether you are allergic to this medicine. Venlafaxine can make the patient dizzy and also cause blurred vision. Therefore, patients should not perform activities that require alertness such as driving. Untreated mental condition is a serious condition. That’s why it is important not to stop this medicine unless told by your doctor. Besides this, it is necessary to inform to your doctor before using any drug or over-the-counter medication, because it may interact with Venlafaxine and decrease the therapeutic effect of this medication.
Venlafaxine should be stored at room temperature. It is important that the patient should monitor his heart rate and blood pressure regularly.
