Family centred care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Family centred care - Essay Example The author has rightly presented that the family plays a vital role in the nursing of the patient. Since the discovery of this fact, there has been vast interest on the topic of family-centered care. For purposes of establishing the role of the nurse in family centered care, the essay has its basis on a case study. The patient, Joan, who is in hospital, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It is evident that she has a family, a husband. In planning the discharge of this patient, the nurse has to consider a number of issues. Some of these issues are the feelings that her husband has, and the fact that he may be unable to cope with her condition, managing Joan’s agitation, assessing the risk that the disease brings about to Joan. In addition, the nurse should consider the stress that Joan’s disease puts on the relationship between the members of the family and the possibility that the family might have limited knowledge on the disease and may need guidance on how to cope. The paper will focus on four major topics with regard to family centered care. The first of these is the risk posed by Alzheimer’s. Secondly, the paper will look into the issue of the stress that Joan’s sickness could cause on the relationship between members of her family. The third topic entails the possible reasons for Joan’s agitation and the best way to manage it. The last issue to be discussed is the feeling that the family members may have towards Joan, and with regard to her condition and the part, they play in caring for her.... This kind of care, the institute adds, is applicable to patients of all age groups, and is recommended in all settings that deal with health care. This would mean that for the sake of quick recuperation of patients, the family would have to be heavily involved in the process of nursing, while acquiring relevant and vital information on what steps to take from the nurse in charge of their sick relatives. In the case study, Joan has dementia. Joan is set for discharge from the health facility where she has been. Family centered care begins from within the hospital. This means that the family is also heavily involved in the decision to discharge. At this point, the family needs to get reassurance that Joan is in a stable enough condition to go home. In addition, the dependent state of the patient warrants their involvement for purposes of establishing whom her primary caregivers will be and where she will be living (Davidson et al. 2007). Before the nurse releases her into the care of h er family, it is important that they come up with a family care plan that will aid in assessing the situation at home (Gulanick & Myers 2011). An example of the nurse’s family care plan is as shown. Table 1: Family care Plan for Joan with dementia Family Problem Goal of care Objectives of Care Intervention Measures Method of nurse-family contact Resources Evaluation -little knowledge on risks posed by Alzheimer’s . - possible source of stress for family - patient agitated - To put the patients at ease -Prevention of self-harm by patient Enabling the family to empathize with the situation and learn the understand the sickness -provide health teachings to the family on Alzheimer’s