Chronic diseases

Chronic diseases

Chronic diseases affect people’s physical health. In addition, all chronic illness impact the psychological health of the affected people. Cancer is one of the chronic diseases that affect the mental health of people. The diagnosis process, treatment interventions, and learning to cope with Cancer causes depression among patients. People who are diagnosed with cancer undergo grieving with evidence showing that the majority of patients with the condition develop post-traumatic stress disorder. This is because cancer is associated with traumatic experiences, and the probability of a fatal prognosis is high among patients. In addition, cancer treatment contributes to the development of depression among patients. Chemo brain is a side effect of chemotherapy that is associated with the development of cognitive impairment, depression, and fatigue among cancer patients. About 25% of individuals with cancer develop depression. Cancer patients experience sadness, grief, and lose interest in normal activities. Depression results in feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, and suicidal thoughts among cancer patients.

Additionally, individuals who receive cancer diagnosis experience denial. This occurs since many patients experience trouble accepting that they have cancer. Besides, cancer causes anger among patients. Anger arises due to feelings such as helplessness, frustration, and panic. Feelings of worry and fear are also common among patients living with cancer. Patients worry and fear about many things, including the fear of dying, living in pain, and changes in physical health.

Moreover, cancer affects the psychological wellbeing of people leading to the development of stress. Majority of people with chronic illness experience stress when undergoing treatment. Patients with cancer may feel that they are unable to cope with the changes caused by cancer or activities of daily living. This results in the development of psychological stress. Also, cancer contributes to the development of anxiety among patients. The affected individuals feel threatened and experience irregular heartbeats and shaking due to anxiety. About 49% of individuals with cancer experience high anxiety levels, with 19% developing anxiety disorders. Anxiety causes fear among patients that prevent them from performing daily activities in a normal way.

Furthermore, loneliness may arise due to cancer. Some cancer patients feel cut off from their families and friends. In addition, some patients feel that no one can understand them due to chronic illness. Lack of social support increases the feeling of loneliness among cancer patients. Another psychological impact of cancer is guilt. Many cancer patients blame themselves for letting their families down after developing the condition.

Evidence-Based Supportive Nursing Care Strategies Nurses could use when caring for a Person with a Chronic Illness

Patient Education

One of the most effective nursing strategies nurses can use when caring for patients with chronic diseases is the provision of patient education. Patients with chronic illness need knowledge on how to perform self-care. Nurses teach patients about their illnesses and how to take medications while at home. For instance, nurses are required to educate diabetic patients on how to administer insulin. Nurses also teach the patients about the side effects of medications. Also, nurses use patient education to promote healthy behaviors among individuals with chronic illnesses. For instance, nurses teach patients on the importance of exercises, diet as well as quitting smoking, among other practices. Patient education also includes the need for patients to get regular checkups to prevent the development of complications. Patient empowerment increases their ability to engage in self-management of their conditions. Hence when patients are discharged from the hospital, they can use the knowledge to control their treatment.

Administering Medications

Management of chronic illnesses requires the administration of medications. Physicians prescribe medications for patients with chronic diseases. However, it is the role of the nurse to administer the medications to the patients. Nurses ensure the patients receive the medication on time while in the hospital. Patients with chronic diseases are required to take their medications regularly. Also, nurses monitor the patients’ condition after administering the drugs. This includes the assessment of the development of complications that may occur due to the side effects of the medication. Moreover, nurses advise patients about prescription refills while at home. For instance, patients with hypertension are required to return for additional drugs since the condition requires patients to take medication every day. In addition, nurses visit patients with chronic illnesses during follow up care to emphasize the importance of taking the medication regularly.

The Importance of Care Partnerships in Promoting Positive Health Outcomes for People Living with Chronic Illness

Nurses form partnerships with patients during chronic disease management. Care partnerships improve health outcomes among patients suffering from chronic diseases. For instance, the collaboration between nurses and people with chronic illnesses improves communication among them. The improved communication ensures the patients share all relevant information with the nurses who use it in planning and delivering healthcare interventions. Besides, care partnerships prevent the occurrence of medical errors. This occurs when the patients are also included in the management of their conditions. Patients provide accurate reports about their symptoms, which assist nurses and other healthcare providers in making the correct diagnosis. Therefore, with the correct diagnosis, chances of medical errors occurring are minimized.

Care partnerships enable nurses and other healthcare providers to provide treatment faster. This is achieved through improved communication among the healthcare providers and between them and the patients. Physicians collaborate with nurses during the provision of treatment to the patients, thus ensuring the interventions are not delayed. In addition, care partnerships enable patients to develop trust in the healthcare team, which assists in eliminating the stress experienced by patients while seeking medical interventions. Moreover, the care partnerships assist in reinforcing good follow-up. When nurses create a good relationship with the patients through partnership, they improve the outcomes of follow up care. This occurs because the patients see the nurses as supportive and therefore improve their involvement in their own self-care while at home. This improves health outcomes among patients with chronic illnesses because they adhere to a treatment plan while at home, as directed by the nurses and other members of the healthcare team. The care partnerships allow patients to ask more questions about the intake of medications and other aspects relating to compliance with treatment while at home. As a result, follow-up care contributes to positive outcomes for the patients.