Needs Assessment
The case under analysis serves as a very clear example of a patient lacking the proper health education that allows them to determine health concerns and manage them respectively. Despite the patient’s claims about having no health concerns, several issues have been detected in the course of the evaluation. The specified observation points to the necessity to reinforce the process of patient education, as well as enhance the dialogue between the patient and the healthcare practitioner.
Specifically, the patient needs to receive extensive information about preventing, detecting, and addressing cancer. Based on her family history, the patient is very likely to have a hereditary propensity toward developing cancer. The fact that the patient has a bachelor degree is likely to simplify the process of building awareness since she is expected to develop a proper understanding of the issue within a relatively short amount of time given her knowledge background (Elangovan, Rajaraman, Basumalik, & Pandian, 2016). Therefore, cancer-related education should be deemed as a priority due to the patient’s family history. As a result, the development of the problem can be prevented.
Furthermore, the fact that the patient is a vegetarian implies that she could use recommendations concerning dieting and the available food choices. Although vegetarian diets typically have a positive effect on the overall health status, moderation and the adequate consumption of protein are required to ensure the proper functioning of body systems (Wang et al., 2015). Particularly, the patient must be educated about the possible drop in protein levels and the following probability of developing health issues associated with low pressure levels and fatigue (Hever, 2016). Therefore, a healthcare practitioner must provide the patient with detailed information about proper vegetarian dieting and the food that contains protein and other crucial nutrients. The patient must be aware of the full range of dietary options that she can enjoy while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and following the principles of vegetarianism.
The process of patient education must remain consistent and coherent. A nurse will provide the patient with guidelines for maintaining good health and preventing cancer development. In addition, signs and symptoms of the disease will have to be listed to ensure that the patient is capable of detecting them and identifying the presence of a health threat. In addition, a nurse will need to provide the patient with guidelines concerning the proper diet. Despite the fact that the current approach to dieting can be seen as sensible, the patient needs the active support of a nurse; otherwise, there is a threat of the patient mismanaging the process and depriving herself of essential nutrients.
Reflection
The analysis of the case in question can be seen as an important step in improving the quality of one’s nursing and developing a proper understanding of patients’ needs, especially in regard to health-related education. The communication with the patient shed a lot of light on my strengths and weaknesses. Particularly, I realized that I was capable of conducting patient assessment and determining health-associated issues successfully.
In addition, I must mention my ability to use emotional intelligence as the means of keeping the communication consistent and creating the environment in which a patient feels comfortable. As a result, it becomes possible to build patient-nurse relationships based on trust, which will lead to the further success in building awareness and promoting health education. Once the principles of openness and trust are established, a patient starts sharing the information that will define the course of the treatment process and is essential for diagnosing a specific health issue. Therefore, the assessment of the patient and her needs helped me to gain an insight into my professional development. Although the specified experience did not imply addressing a massive health concern, it still served as the means of acquiring important experience and building communication skills that are crucial for addressing patients’ needs. Furthermore, the case allowed me to identify the areas in my professional development that need improvement. Therefore, it is an important experience that needs to be taken into account.
References
Elangovan, V., Rajaraman, S., Basumalik, B., & Pandian, D. (2016). Awareness and perception about cancer among the public in Chennai, India. Journal of Global Oncology, 3(5), 469-479. Web.
Hever, J. (2016). Plant-based diets: A physician’s guide. The Permanente Journal, 20(3), 93-101. Web.
Wang, F., Zheng, J., Yang, B., Jiang, J., Fu, Y., & Li, D. (2015). Effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of the American Heart Association, 4(10), 1-14. Web.