Frank 's Journey Through Illness

This essay will discuss the importance of communication as an aspect of partnership within current nursing care. As stated by Brooks and Heath (1985, as cited in Bramhall, 2014), communication is “a process during which information is shared through the exchange of verbal or non-verbal messages” (p 53). Maintaining communication between the nurse and the patient regarding treatments and emotions contributes to improved patient-centred care. The communication between the nurse and their family is equally as important when the patient is unable to make medical decisions for themselves. With the implementation of family centred communication, a partnership can further be established. With reference to literature, the benefits of maintaining

To begin, I will discuss how Bearing’s cancer and treatment generate pain that then leads to her salvation anxiety. Bearing first experiences physical pain which prompts her to seek a medical opinion. She describes this pain as “like a cramp, but not the same” (27). As it turns out, the pain she felt was ovarian cancer. After her diagnosis, Bearing chooses to undergo an experimental treatment. The medicine used produces nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills (31, 41, 47). After several rounds of chemotherapy, the chemicals kill all of Bearing’s white blood cells leading to her immune system being compromised and further subjection to illness (46-47). With extreme pain as a constant reminder of her death and what follows, it is no surprise Bearing also begins to suffer from salvation anxiety.

Leventhal’s model of self-regulation is based on the idea that each person forms a cognitive representation of their illness, which allows them to make sense of their symptoms. This illness perception and the patient’s emotional response then guide behaviour towards managing the illness (Leventhal et al., 1984). An illness perception is made up of five major components. These are illness identity, potential cause, timeline, its consequences and how it may be controlled. Often patients with similar diseases can hold very different perceptions of their illness (Petrie and Weinman, 2012). Clinical severity of the condition does not necessarily predict how a patient will cope. This essay will outline strengths and weaknesses of whether the model can be used to explain health outcomes and coping strategies, implement successful interventions and predict or even improve adherence to treatment. Finally, the importance of constructs not included in the model, such as social support, will be discussed. The essay will evaluate the model using examples of illnesses such as stroke, cancer, diabetes and asthma.

When someone is suffering or living with a chronic illness it can have a huge impact on them psychologically and socially. Chronic Illness is a condition that is prolonged in duration, usually more than 3 months and is rarely cured (DoH, 2012). Having to cope with a chronic condition might lead to life changes, such as dependency on others, loss of income, which can cause feelings of loss and reduced self-esteem. They can also report feelings of social rejection, poor healthcare and workplace termination due to their presenting condition (Earnshaw, Quinn, & Park, 2011).

If one learns about the issues that cause one mental or physical injury, one can prevent much misery in life and nurture vitality. For example when Deborah discovers that she does not have cancer it comes as an enormous relief to her; ‘Now you tell me after all these years!’ Deborah yelled. ‘Thank God, cause I was wonderin!’ (265).

body and ignoring the mind, heart and soul can be deadly. When faced with sickness and the

Accompanying illness is the loss of control over one’s life and the development of vulnerability and doubt in the future (Hansen et al., 2012). By experiencing these emotions, individuals often go through the psychological state of uncertainty. While the feeling is subjective to each individual, uncertainty can be characterized as a process that has the ability to change over time with the influence of support from external resources. The initial stages of illness (diagnosis and coping) is equivalent to the girl sinking into the ocean perspective of the image (see Appendix B). In this cropped version of the image, the sky is a nostalgic, orange colour which represents one's personal comfort and equilibrium. The girl is reaching towards the sky as she falls deeper into the ocean because she longs to be placed back in a place of comfort as her new oceanic surroundings are strange and her future is uncertain. However, in another perspective of the same image (see Appendix C), the girl is now soaring towards the city down below - her body language indicates that she is comfortable and living in the moment, seemingly enjoying her time in the contextual sky that used to be an ocean. The city below represents reality and society. Although not represented in the art piece, the healthcare environment - particularly nurses - possess a

Mishel’s (1988) Uncertainty in Illness theory is a mid-range nursing theory that examines how uncertainty can affect patients. In addition, Mishel’s theory identifies causes of uncertainty that negatively or positively affect the patient. If an individual is spiraling down a known path of illness, they may perceive uncertainty as a benefit. However, illness uncertainty causes breakdowns, fear of the illness, emotional distress, loss of control, and inappropriate coping methods (Mishel 1988). These conditions if left untreated will lead to patients that are unable to form cognitive structures for illness related events, develop improper psychological adjustments, poor decision-making, and traumatic stress responses (Mishel 1988). Along with

“Extensive research has shown that no matter how knowledgeable a clinician might be, if he or she is not able to open good communication with the patient, he or she may be of no help” (Asnani, MR. 2009). Effective communication plays a big role in healthcare and contributes to the quality of patient care and teamwork.

An invention as an insight into the means of the sick to become a restored person. The understanding of this narratives serves as the beginning point for disease narrative ethics (Frank, 2013).

Communication, in healthcare, is a multidimensional concept that involves patients, family members, and a health care team. There is a direct correlation with communication, improving a patient's well being, and quality of care. Adequate communication among physicians and their patients is an actively growing research topic. Results supplied by such studies have provided effective recommendations for oncologists and their team. These recommendations include the patient-physician relationship, how physicians utilize medical information, how physicians deal with patient emotions, physician self-management, and educational conferences designed to sharpen communication. Communication is important during each phase of cancer care.

The portrayal of Mr. Frank was historically and realistically correct because in the research I found, it shows he was a very smart, kind, patient, and reliable friend, husband, and father. Mr. Frank’s real name was Otto Frank, as it was in Anne’s diary, He was one of the 8 people in hiding and was the only one who survived. The play conveys Mr. Frank's character as a very understanding and resourceful person. Also, historically Mr. Frank was a very smart and accepting person.

There are a number of key elements that help to provide a framework that enhances truthful communication. Firstly, there is the need to develop open and honest communication from the very beginning of the patient-health professional relationship. Secondly, the health professional needs to use patient penchant as a “weigh” by asking them what they wish to know, how much they wish to know, and determining what they already know. In other words, it is a responsibility of the health professional to get a ‘feel’ for the situation, including the patients’ perception of the situation (Ashcroft, Dawson & Drape 2007).

Norman Cousins is renowned for his work as a journalist, peace advocate, editor, author and professor. He also developed an interest for medicine, but this interest was not nurtured by a traditional point of view, rather it had something of a holistic approach. The term has come to be used today for a specific type of medical initiative that requires a healing process not merely limited to the body, but also incorporating the mind, the spirit, and the overall emotions of human beings. Cousins would have known a few things about what it is like to be treated as a patient because he had been wrongfully diagnosed with tuberculosis and hospitalized in a sanatorium at the age eleven. In his old ages, he experienced illness symptoms that were diagnosed with

I'm amazed by the clear majority of “successful” people who overcame adversity and hardship. How do we react to ours? Do we crumble like cookies under the thought of a challenge and avoid them.. or do we conquer challenges and own them? Well, I say, it's up to us. All this [stress] plays into a huge feedback loop that can determine health, happiness, and ultimately our "success". For better or for worse. Why did patients in our readings have such different personal narratives of illness from what seemed to be very similar and even in the same biomedical causes of illnesses? These questions highlight the view that there is a deeper transcending non-biomedical cause of illness, which then, effects outcomes of treatment and healing. I believe an attitude of resilience fostered through experience, plays a huge role in how people react to their illness which then affects how one responds to treatment/therapy. How is it that some people in life have suffered so much and at the end of the day, sometimes after years. not only remain intact mentally, but thrive in the world and carry on with their lives, despite their condition(s) and exposure to trauma. Against all the odds. Through personal experience and evidence presented in the readings. I will persuade you to understand why I feel humans may respond so differently; to treatment and the processes of healing. I don’t expect you to agree with everything I say, you are entitled to that. I only expect that you acknowledge that the