The Situation That Occurred and What Was Needed
As I was attending to my daily routine at the hospital, I encountered a case scenario where a patient was brought to the consultation room for medication. The patient, M.R., was 45 years old and in acute pain. She had previously visited the hospital with the same complaints where his legs developed sudden discomfort, making her feel unwell. She was further referred to the surgical unit for more diagnosis.
After close examination, her medical history recorded no incidences of surgery, and she was not on any medication. X-rays were conducted and indicated some damage to the bones and joints. Ultrasound was also used to confirm the tissue injury by examining the tendons. An administration of anti-inflammatory drugs was needed to ease the pain.
People Involved in the Process of Delegation
The surgical nurse was the central personnel during the clinical examination process. She first performed a physical examination to establish possible causes of the discomfort, and after the prioritization, she delegated the work to the nurse on duty. He was supposed to conduct a close examination and perform X-rays (Scott et al., 2018). This was done with the surgeon’s doctor’s assistant at the surgical unit. The patient needed pain-relieving therapies for her leg, which were given by medication administration.
My Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior
I had mixed feelings when I first interacted with the patient since she seemed to be in acute pain. The leg was swollen to the extent that it was abnormal. This allowed me to learn more about how diseases manifest themselves differently in patients and how to adjust to their responses. I was asked to help the nurse on duty in giving care, and I keenly observed how the evaluation process was done and felt part of the operation. The nurse gave me a detailed explanation of every step making the environment conducive to learning. This interaction greatly impacted my professional development, and I can handle patients under different circumstances. After this, I began visiting the surgical unit every Friday to gain more experience.
Delegation Approaches
Observing the rights delegation involved adherence to the strict hospital policy. The nurse began the evaluation process by examining the sick and taking steps to offer healthcare. The surgical nurse involved the nurse on duty to monitor progress. This delegation approach was, therefore, favorable since the new nurse was given a chance to learn and interact with the available resources (LA Charity, 2011). The R.N. always supervised what was happening to ensure progress and get feedback. Practical communication skills were applied by the nurses who cooperated to ensure patient safety. The R.N. spends time with the patient to explain her clinical situation and condition. These gave room for future checkups and records of medical history for any emergency. Pain remedies were explained to the patient to help her monitor her condition at home.
Patient Outcomes
The effective prioritization and delegation improved the patient’s state and medical response. The patient had unique needs since her condition was extreme and painful. Therefore, she received different therapies, reducing her pain intensity and improving her state. Utilities in the hospital, including the X-ray machine, were used to examine the source of the pain. Duty delegation ensured the patient was entirely given services and medication necessary for healing (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1995). Continued checkup appointments by the nurse improved the patient’s advocacy and need for self-care. Finally, the five rights of delegation significantly contributed to the positive outcome since the pain was relieved, close monitoring of the patient, vital tools, and surgery services were given.
Future Practice
From the experiences gained, I have learned the importance of prioritization and delegation in patient care. These attributes will be of great help in my future practice since it has educated me on comprehensive care. Patients presenting complex needs in the hospital setup will be given priority for medication. I will also educate the patient on the importance of historical health records for future reference. Additionally, I have learned the importance of involving the patient in understanding clinical situations and self-care remedies.
References
LA Charity, L.A.& Kumagai, C.K.& Bartz, B. (2011). Prioritization, delegation & assignment practice exercises for medical-surgical nursing, Mosby: St Louis, MI ISBN: 978-323-06570-2. Web.
Scott, I. C., Hider, S. L., & Scott, D. L. (2018). Thromboembolism with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis: How real is the risk?Drug Safety, 41(7), 645–653. Web.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (1995). Delegation: Concepts and decision-making process. National Council of State Boards of Nursing, inc. Issues (National Council of State Boards of Nursing (U.S.)). Web.