You Are Caring For An 82-Year-Old Woman Who Has Been Hospita

You Are Caring For An 82 Year Old Woman Who Has Been Hospitalized For

This case involves caring for an 82-year-old woman hospitalized due to burns from a cooking accident, who lives alone with limited family support and uses neighbors for social interaction and assistance, including caring for her dog. Applying Florence Nightingale’s principles, I would prioritize creating a healing environment by ensuring her physical needs are met through appropriate wound care, pain management, and promoting hydration and nutrition to counteract her decreased intake, while also fostering emotional well-being through active listening and emotional support. Nightingale emphasized the importance of sanitary conditions and holistic care, which guides my approach to reducing infection risk and promoting a sense of security. Concerning her request to see her dog, I would advocate for a compassionate, patient-centered approach by facilitating a visit if possible, considering her emotional attachment and the positive impact it may have on her morale, balanced against clinical considerations to ensure her safety, thereby honoring her emotional needs as part of her overall healing environment. Nursing diagnoses relevant here include imbalanced nutrition, less than body requirements, and risk for depression; interventions would focus on nutritional support, encouraging intake, and providing emotional support to alleviate her grief and loneliness, including introducing social activities or counseling if needed. For discharge planning, I would collaborate with a multidisciplinary team—including social workers, physical therapists, dietitians, and mental health professionals—to develop a comprehensive plan that ensures her safety at home, arranging follow-up care and community support, advocating for her needs by emphasizing her emotional and psychological well-being as guided by Nightingale’s holistic view of patient care. This approach underscores the nurse’s essential role in advocating for patient-centered care, ensuring continuity of support, and fostering recovery within a healthy, therapeutic environment.

Paper For Above instruction

In caring for an elderly patient such as the 82-year-old woman described, Florence Nightingale’s foundational principles serve as a guiding framework. Nightingale emphasized the importance of providing a clean, safe environment to promote healing and prevent infection, which is vital given the patient’s burns and potential complications. She believed that proper nutrition and hydration are essential components of recovery, thus, ensuring her nutritional needs are met through encouragement, supplemental nutrition if necessary, and monitoring intake align with her holistic approach. Emotional well-being is equally important; Nightingale recognized the significance of addressing psychological distress as part of holistic care. Her approach would suggest establishing a trusting relationship with the patient, listening to her concerns, and providing comfort to mitigate feelings of loneliness and depression, which seem evident given her reported low mood and social isolation. Regarding her request to see her dog, Nightingale’s philosophy supports compassionate care that considers the emotional bonds patients have with loved ones or pets. Facilitating a visit, while ensuring safety, aligns with her holistic view and can provide psychological comfort, ultimately aiding in her recovery. For her nursing diagnoses, imbalanced nutrition and risk of depression are primary targets. Interventions include nutritional assessments, offering appealing meals, and employing emotional support strategies, including social interaction and mental health referrals, to combat despair and promote resilience. As her primary nurse, discharge planning must be meticulous. It involves multidisciplinary collaboration with social workers, home health services, and possibly pet care providers, ensuring her environment remains safe and supportive. Advocating for her entails emphasizing her emotional and psychological needs alongside her physical recovery, consistent with Nightingale’s belief that healing is more effective when the environment supports the patient’s overall well-being. By addressing these interconnected needs comprehensively, nurses embody Nightingale’s holistic philosophy, fostering recovery and dignity for each patient.

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