Family health history is very important as it provides information that can be used for health risk assessment. Providing information about one’s racial background helps the doctors assess the potential diseases and health conditions associated with the region of origin and adaptability patterns associated with the racial origin. Family health history also enable us access health care whenever we need it and therefore better manage our health care. Family health history improves efficiency in the diagnosis process and hence influences the health care that we receive. However, the question is the significance of the number of uncles and aunties in acquiring health care.
A few members of my family have been diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease. One of my uncles occasionally experiences heart failure and has always been hospitalized to seek treatment so as to normalize his heartbeat. Coronary artery disease is also known to cause a condition known as angina which occurs when an area in the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood flow due blockage of the heart muscles leading to pain in the chest, shoulders, back, arms, jaw as well as the neck (Baan, 2011). I was diagnosed with angina while I was 10 years old and although I have received treatment, it has never completely gone away. Similar conditions are also experienced by my father.
Spirituality in Nursing
According to Thomas, (1993), human beings are biological, psychological and also spiritual, therefore nursing care should also include spiritual care. The spiritual domain of patients is very important since some patients are always more concerned with their spiritual being than their physical nature. Therefore holistic assessment that includes assessment of spirituality helps create and maintain a bond with the patient and hence reduce distress in the patient. Effective assessment of a patient’s spirituality involves asking him or her about his or her concept of deity as well as his or her source of hope as well as strength. It will also involve asking the patient about his or her perception towards the significance of religious as well as ritual practices. Finally, it is also important to understand the patient’s belief on the relationship between his or her illness and his or her spiritual belief.
Some patients experience anxiety as well as guilt when they are about to die as they back-flash on their unfulfilled expectations, therefore to effectively help the patient overcome this, it is important to help the patient understand that the unfulfilled expectations are meaningless. This would help the patient accept him or herself regardless of his or her past thereby relieving his or her spiritual pain. For a nurse to gain more knowledge in spirituality, he or she must first be comfortable with matters of spirituality and must also develop his or her communication skills; and finally, should also be able to show empathy (Conrad, 1985).
Success Plan
In these particular areas where I have not been able to become competent, I have to gain the necessary skills through practical orientation programs and consistent training in the skills and procedures. This would enable me acquire evidence-based skills in nursing. I also plan to gain the skills by consulting the current evidence-based literature which includes nursing and health care journals, books as well as monographs (D’Amico, & Barbarito, 2007).
Reference List
Baan, J. (2011). Coronary artery disease, 22(1). Web.
Conrad, N.L. (1985). Spiritual support for the dying. Nursing Clinics of North America, 20 (2): 415-427. New York: Oxford University Press.
D’Amico, D., & Barbarito, C. (2007). Health and physical assessment in nursing. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Thomas, P. (1993). Spiritual care outline, gerontology and palliative care. Melbourne, NSW: School of Nursing and Human Movement, Australian Catholic University.