Assessment Information / Brief – Updated 16.08

Assessment Information/Brief – updated 16.08. Assessment Information 2021/22

Analyze a person's episode of care, focusing on personalized care principles, communication, and interprofessional teamwork, including social prescribing. Write a structured essay of 3000 words with an introduction, main body, and conclusion, in APA 7th Harvard style, maintaining anonymity and adhering to formatting guidelines.

Paper For Above instruction

In recent years, the healthcare landscape has shifted towards a more person-centered approach, emphasizing the importance of personalized care. The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) underscores this shift, advocating for a model where the individual’s unique needs, values, and preferences are prioritized in their care journey. This essay explores the principles of personalized care through a detailed analysis of a selected episode of care, illustrating how these principles translate into practice within the healthcare system. It highlights the significance of effective communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, and supportive social interventions, such as social prescribing, in promoting holistic and effective care.

To begin, a clear understanding of the episode of care selected for this analysis is essential. The chosen narrative details a comprehensive care experience of a patient, pseudonymously named "Mr. Smith," who presented with multiple health issues related to chronic illness. Over a three-month period, Mr. Smith's care involved multiple healthcare professionals and care settings. His journey was characterized by coordinated efforts to meet his physical, emotional, and social needs, exemplifying core principles of personalized care.

The Personalised Care Operating Model (NHS, 2019) comprises six key components: (1) shared decision-making, (2) personalized care planning, (3) flexibility and tailored interventions, (4) accessible information and supported self-management, (5) proactive and anticipatory care, and (6) co-production with individuals and their support networks. Applying these components to Mr. Smith's episode reveals the importance of partnership working between nurses and patients, fostering a joined-up approach that respects individual preferences and life circumstances. For instance, shared decision-making was evidenced when Mr. Smith was actively involved in selecting his medication plan and lifestyle modifications, which enhanced his engagement and adherence to treatment.

Effective communication and interpersonal skills are central to understanding what matters to the person. During consultations, the nurse employed empathetic listening, open-ended questions, and validation techniques to elicit Mr. Smith's concerns, fears, and aspirations. These skills facilitated the identification of his priorities, including maintaining independence and managing social isolation. Such a person-centered approach aligns with the principles of motivational interviewing, which support individuals in expressing their goals and collaborating on care strategies (Miller & Rollnick, 2013). The nurse’s ability to foster a trusting relationship encouraged Mr. Smith to share sensitive social information, enabling tailored interventions that address holistic needs.

Interprofessional teamwork is crucial in delivering integrated care. A significant advantage of such collaboration is the pooling of diverse expertise, which allows for comprehensive and well-coordinated services. However, barriers exist, including communication challenges, role ambiguity, and disagreement over care plans. In Mr. Smith’s case, interdisciplinary meetings involving nurses, social workers, physicians, and physiotherapists facilitated cohesive care planning. Nonetheless, occasional miscommunications about medication adjustments underscored the importance of clearly defined roles and regular team communication. Recognizing these dynamics highlights the need for effective interprofessional education and shared information systems to optimize patient outcomes (Reeves et al., 2017).

Social prescribing emerges as a vital component of holistic care, linking patients to community resources that support their social, emotional, and physical well-being. For Mr. Smith, engagement with local social clubs, exercise groups, and mental health support networks contributed to improved quality of life and reduced healthcare utilization. Evidence suggests that social prescribing can effectively address social determinants of health, which are often overlooked in traditional biomedical models (Carnahan et al., 2019). By involving voluntary and community sector organizations, nurses can facilitate personalized interventions that enhance long-term health and well-being not only for patients but also for their families and caregivers.

In summary, the episode of care analyzed demonstrates the practical application of personalized care principles, emphasizing partnership working, effective communication, interprofessional collaboration, and social prescribing. These elements collectively contribute to delivering care that respects individuals' values and promotes their active involvement in decision-making. As healthcare continues to evolve, such a holistic, person-centered model is essential for achieving equitable and effective health outcomes.

References

  • Carnahan, L., Brown, A., & Scott, S. (2019). Social prescribing: An overview of current evidence and future directions. Journal of Public Health, 41(2), 234–241. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy138
  • Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
  • NHS England. (2019). The NHS long term plan. https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-long-term-plan/
  • Reeves, S., Parris, D., & Goldman, J. (2017). Interprofessional teamworking: Learning from good practice. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31(2), 130–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2016.1171598
  • Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2018). The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives, and nursing associates. https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/

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