INTRODUCTION
As reported in a survey made by the Awake magazine regarding the real qualities making up a good nurse, many answered almost the same ideas about the issue. Carmen Gilmartín, of Spain puts it this way: “The doctor heals, but the nurse cares for the patient. This often requires building up patients that have been damaged both inside and outside when, for example, they are informed that they have a chronic disease or will face imminent death. You have to be a mother to the sick person.” It is really true that aside from Abdellah , many nurses around the world believes that being able to empathize with the patients that the nurses are caring for. How is this so? This paper will analyze the proofs on the effectivity of the said theory on patient-centered nursing to the real nursing world. In the paragraphs to follow, the practicality of the application of the said process or attitude on dealing with patients will be closely observed.
ANALYSIS
The theory’s or the idealism of Abdellah’s scope includes the nurses working with kids and other older patients dealing with either patients slightly affected with illnesses or those who are already dealing with terminal cases.
The whole idea of the theory lies on how nurse- patient relationship should always be given attention to. Not only because it’s a protocol by the hospital or whosoever but also because it should be an innate character of a nurse to feel what the patient feels.
It’s content includes the process and application of the nurses’ empathizing with their patients to be able to give them not only the kind of medication or cure they need as said by the doctor but also the kind of cure they want.
Evaluation
Significance
The said approach on patient-centered service in and out of the hospital services is much significant especially to those patients who are usually ill or to those who have terminal diseases who at times need to stay in the hospitals for long times. It is very true that the patient-nurse relationship must be mutual and peaceful to be able to gain best results for both parties.
Internal Consistency
This approach has been amazingly working well for the hospitals and health organizations that apply it. Doctors and nurses who are able to coordinate well with each other and thus able to attend to their patient’s needs and wants are the ones who usually gets the best result. One encyclopedia defines nursing as “the process by which a patient is helped by a nurse to recover from an illness or injury, or to regain as much independence as possible.”(Encarta) Of course, much is involved in that process. It is more than just the performance of routine tests, such as checking the pulse and the blood pressure.
The nurse plays an integral role in the patient’s recovery. According to The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, “the nurse is more concerned with the patient’s overall reaction to the disorder than with the disorder itself, and is devoted to the control of physical pain, the relief of mental suffering, and, when possible, the avoidance of complications.” In addition, the nurse offers “understanding care, which involves listening with patience to anxieties and fears, and providing emotional support and comfort.” And when a patient is dying, this source notes, the nurse’s role is “to help the patient meet death with as little distress and as much dignity as possible.”(145)
Parsimony
This approach doesn’t require much of the funds. Instead, investing on the nurse’s desirable traits has been the key to reaching the goals of giving the patients an A+ service during their recovery.
Testability
This approach has been widely tested by different hospitals and health organizations. Some had even made extra steps to achieve perfection in application. Some went to the homes of possible patients to take not of their medical preferences with regards to their religious and cultural beliefs. It also included health statistics of the patients in order to modify their medical records. These steps had been proven effective and stress reducing for the nurses when the time comes when they already need to attend to the said patients.
Empirical Adequacy
Every organization and hospital who tries to apply this approach to patients would agree that everything is perfect with it. It relieves both the pain of the patient and gives the nurses a better work environment, as they are able to meet the expectations of both their patients and the doctors they assist.
Pragmatic Adequacy
Record shows that actual results from the application of this approach are rather desirable and convincing to be successful. It made everything and everyone workable with and every patient satisfied with the medications they receive.
CONCLUSSION
As with other jobs, considerable education and training are required to be a good nurse. It also takes courage, and a real desire to help fellow humans. Keeping physically fit, too, is important, due to one’s being exposed to communicable diseases. But a good nurse will especially have sympathy for patients, and give of herself to furnish their needs.
Abdellah’s book on Patient-Centered approach has been truly proven by herself by being a nurse and an aid to many that suffer from different illness. Making it more practical and approval worthy that this approach to patients is indeed effective. However it may be, nurses are always reminded to continue having a good heart for their patients.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- “The vital role of nurses”. (June 22, 1998). AWAKE!. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Brooklyn New York.13.
- American Medical Association, Encyclopedia of Medicine. (1998).California. 145.
- Abdellah, F.G., Beland, I.L., Martin, A., & Matheney, R.V. (1960). Patient-centered approaches to nursing. New York: Macmillan.
