Carrying Out a Holistic Nursing Process

This is a case regarding a 36-year-old female client who was experiencing high body cholesterol and excess bodyweight. This could also be referred to as obesity; this condition has rendered the client extremely inactive due to increased body weight. The client is also encountering a pre-diabetes, which is a condition that arises when the blood sugar levels are greater than usual however not high enough to be established as diabetes. Prediabetes can influence the heart in a number of ways, such as; lasting harm to the cardiovascular system might occur whilst an individual has prediabetes. Finally, the client hard high blood pressure, which causes extensive harm to the cardiovascular system, and if untreated high blood pressure it will lead to the uprising of diabetes.

The client’s holistic health needs were to reduce the huge weight that she had. Additionally the conditions that she was experiencing required to be placed under medication including other non-medication interventions such as special diets and exercises. The client’s greatest needs were to reduce the huge weight, which was discomforting and embarrassing to her. Additionally, the illness she has encountered due to the heavy weight has contributed highly to her deteriorated health. The assessment findings carried out through Body Mass Index confirmed that she was overweight (WHO, 2012).

Theories offer a roadmap and a systematic summary of what features to take into account when designing, evaluating and executing a health promotion program. The first health
promotion theory used was the Community organization model. This model aided me as a public health worker in assisting the client through identification of health and social problems, and additionally planning and executing strategies to deal with her problems.  This theory requires active participation of the client and the community. Additionally, this theory requires social planning, Social action and Locality development to be undertaken. The second health promotion theory utilized is the Social Support theory. This theory indicates that social support is instrumental in health promotional interventions. Social support aids in emotional support and provides reinforcement of the new behavior

The first teaching/learning theory applied is the behaviorist learning theory. This theory helped me as the health worker to focus mainly on what is openly visible. Behaviorists regard learning as the result of the stimulus factors (S) and the responses (R) that tag along at times referred to as the S-R model of learning. This helped in identifying what was happening inside an individual and which is obviously difficult to determine. Behaviorists closely watch responses and then control the environment to get the intended change. The second teaching/learning theory utilized is the Cognitive Learning Theory. Cognitive learning, a greatly active process is largely directed by the client, it involves perceiving and interpreting the information  based on what is previously known concerning the client, and then restructuring the information into fresh insights or understanding (Australian Department of Health and Education, 2014).

For every health promotional mission there must be goals to be achieved being short term and long. In this study the first short term goal was to encourage avoidance of additional weight gain. This strategy was aimed at limiting the buildup of additional medical risks connected with amplified weight gain. This measure was quantified by measuring the client’s weight every month. The Second goal was the client would engage in exercises. Lack of exercises is one factor that contributed to the client’s overweight condition. Robustness may ameliorate numerous cardiovascular health risks linked with overweight and obesity. Though she was hesitant to engage in physical activity at the initial stages because of uneasiness or embarrassment, she in the short term engaged in slow, gradual increases in physical movements such as, walking for ten minutes a day. This is expected to commence immediately. Thirdly, that the patient reduces fats intake by adopting healthy foods such as vegetables. This was to be effected immediately as from day one of attending the client. Reducing the fat intakes was the first step towards realizing the greatly needed objective of weight reduction (Bandura, 2004).

There are long-term goals that the case expected to achieve. Firstly, the client was expected to reduce weight by thirty percent in the first eight months. This was going to be achieved through numerous activities throughout the period which included the short term goals accomplishments. The client’s weight was to be measured and compared to the every previous month. This would show how much weight has been reduced. The second long term objective was to eliminate the illnesses of prediabetes and high blood pressure in a year. Medical tests would be carried out to ensure the treatment is achieving this objective overtime (Braungart, Braungart, & Gramet, 2012).

The first health teaching strategy utilized was the tuning in strategy. This was utilized to determine the client’s current familiarity, skills and attitudes before planning the program. The client was engaged in learning experiences and the program content. The second teaching strategy utilized is the Making decisions strategy. This was chosen to provide opportunities to the client to develop decision-making ability to facilitate her to make healthier and safer choices (Innstrand, 2012).

The project’s content and presentation was good since the client’s response towards it was absolutely positive. The client appreciated and accepted the short term strategies to reduce her weight through various activities such as sacrificing the consumption of fatty foods and sparing sometime to exercise on a daily basis. Among the progresses made were the fact that the client was able to reduce her weight by about 35%, and which lead to significant reduction high blood pressure and elimination of pre-diabetes status in eight months. However, there were challenges involved such as convincing the client to stop the consumption of her favorite sweet fatty foods which would have interfered with the treatment program. Secondly asking the client to engage in daily exercises was an additional challenge since she was working. Nevertheless, the client manifested numerous progresses in changing her diet, emotional attitude towards herself and increased social activities involvement (WHO, 2012).

The evaluation tool used was the Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI was obtained by dividing an individual’s weight (kg) by his height (m²) that is (kg/m²). An individual is classified as ‘overweight’ if their BMI is between 25 to 29.9kg/m² and regarded as obese if their BMI is 30kg/m² or more. The patient was found to own a BMI of 30kg/M².

This treatment case to a great extent gave me a lifetime experience of assisting a client in need.  I was granted an opportunity to practice class teachings. Having a chance to actually help an individual and achieving the intended results was a great step in my treatment program.  Though I encountered challenges of convincing the client regarding reasons why she should reduce weight and at times following up the treatment, I consider it to be quite a success. I successfully carried the nursing process in a holistic manner towards assisting the client achieve the weight reduction objective.

References

Australian Department of Health and Education. (2014). Teaching and learning strategies — Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships Curriculum Support for teachers. Retrieved July 18, from http://gdhr.wa.gov.au/teaching-context/copy_of_teaching-and-learning-strategies/view

Bandura, A. (2004). Health Promotion by Social Cognitive Means. Health Education & Behavior. doi:10.1177/1090198104263660

Braungart, M., Braungart, R., & Gramet, P. (2012). Applying Learning Theories to Healthcare Practice. Retrieved July 18, from http://samples.jbpub.com/9781449697501/9781449694173_CH03_Pass1.pdf

Innstrand, S. (2012). Health Promotion – Theory and Practice. Retrieved July 18, from http://www.ntnu.no/documents/12446710/16798533/Health+Promotion+-+Theory+and+Practice.pdf

WHO. (2012). Health education: theoretical concepts, effective strategies and core competencies. Retrieved July 18, from http://applications.emro.who.int/dsaf/EMRPUB_2012_EN_1362.pdf