Social Workers During Emergency Room Settings

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

As a primary care nurse at Lahey Health for the past 10 years, I have interacted with patients and families from diverse backgrounds and cultures. I have attempted to build relationships based on respect, empathy, and understanding. By listening and observing, I have gained valuable insight allowing me to address factors affecting patient care and outcome. I have learned that it is not always easy to determine best practice and that careful individual consideration is necessary.

Including the client as an expert member of the team creates an enhanced quality of care (Coad, Patel & Murray, 2014). In pediatrics, parents are often at the center of the child’s care. When asked to define what made the client care experience positive, parents stated that sensitivity, empathy and honesty were key factors (Coad, Patel & Murray, 2014). Working in healthcare, nurses can become desensitized to difficult experiences because they deal with them daily. Integrating the client and family as part of the healthcare team, allows the nurse to see the patient and family as a people first. By avoiding using illness as context, and instead using person as context, care will be more holistic (Coad, Patel & Murray, 2014). A family-focused approach helps to ensure that the whole family feels a part of the experience and is valued. In the case of bereavement, family centered care is particularly important. If the family is not included in the care from the start, it can provide barriers for grieving and impact how the family deals with loss (Jones, Contro & Koch, 2014). Nurses have an opportunity to help support the family through the grief process (Jones, Contro & Koch, 2014). Families have a significant impact on how the client heals, so by caring for the family’s needs, the nurse is indirectly caring for the patient. It is in the client’s best interest for the care to be holistic for the patient as well as the family (Jones, Contro & Koch, 2014). All

Patient centered care have evolved to improve quality of care and safety while delivering care to our patients. While providing safe and effective care to patients, nurses should be utilizing resources to deliver the optimum care. Patient centered care does not only involve the patient it also involves the family on making decision, this approach will endorse quality of life and health. To coordinate care some characteristics must be present including not limited to dignity, unbiased decision, care to be focused to enhance independent in the care. Patient have the right to be respected while receiving care. In addition, the care should be delivered without any judgment and the information should be delivered in a way that the patient and

Nevertheless, many organizations continue to struggle with what “it” is. This ambiguity ultimately leaves many with vague or muddled expectations for what constitutes patient-centered care. Is it a surprise, then, that many leaders report feeling bewildered at how to go about becoming more patient-centered? Or that others, convinced that their approach is indeed a patient-centered one, are surprised to find data reflecting patient and/or staff discontent? In the broadest terms, patient-centered care is care organized around the patient. It is a model in which providers partner with patients and families to identify and satisfy the full range of patient needs and preferences. Not to be overlooked in defining patient-centered care is its concurrent focus on staff. To succeed, a patient-centered approach must also address the staff experience, as staff’s ability and inclination to effectively care for patients is unquestionably compromised if they do not feel cared for themselves. Although patients may not always be able to accurately assess the clinical quality of their care, or whether safety processes are in place, patient safety and high clinical quality are fundamental to a patient-centered approach. Patient-centered care does not replace excellent medicine―it both complements clinical excellence and contributes to it through effective partnerships and communication. A wealth of resources exists to guide organizations in addressing clinical

Communication is key to effective healthcare practices. According to American Journal Of Critical Care (2014), Patient-centered care starts with “effective communication, being empathetic and available, avoiding personal prejudges, and listening therapeutically are integral parts of patient-centered care” (Riley, White, Graham, Alexandrov, 2014, p. 320). This will improve communication; promote patient involvement in care, which creates a positive relationship with the healthcare provider and medical team. This results in improved adherence to treatment plan. Clinical practice guidelines need to be implemented for the patient and family members to be able to be involved in informed decision-making regarding healthcare needs. The fundamental core of nursing is to have a partnership with the patient and their family regarding the patient’s outcome.

-A succinct philosophy of family nursing is seen in The Association for the Care of Children’s Health standards stating the expectation for healthcare providers to facilitate family/professional collaboration at all levels of care, and to recognizing family as the constant in the patient’s life whereas the healthcare providers will fluctuate (p.40, 2003).

Kaakinen et al (2015) discusses the two types of health care teams that will be involved in the patient’s care: multiprofessional and interprofessional. The multiprofessional model is an older model that does not focus on holistic care. Care is fragmented with an autocratic leader, vertical communication, separate goals of the professionals involved, and families are peripheral to the process (Kaakinen et al., 2015). The preferred model is the interprofessional model emphasizing a team approach, holistic care of the patient, horizontal communication, and involvement of the family (Kaakinen et al., 2015). The nurse should keep this collaborative approach in mind when dealing with any patient case, involving all teams associated with the patient for the best outcome.

As we talked, we discussed the questions as outlined in the assignment starting with patient-centered care, barriers that may hinder it, and how it can be improved. She defined patient-centered care as “The patient being involved in their care. The patient needs to feel they are empowered to ask questions regarding their care, tests, medications, and any consultation that may be scheduled.” She stated that while at our facility our staff did a “great job” accommodating patient and family cares, comforts, and concerns. We agreed, there are times that barriers prevent fully supportive patient-centered care such as, doctors who refuse discuss patient care or concerns, short staffing, and when care management is disorganized. This can be improved by encouraging

Patient-Centered Care: Patients should have control over the care they receive. By involving patients and family members in their care it will result in better health outcomes. “The response of health care professionals to patients’ questions, concerns, and feedback directly influences how comfortable patients are with speaking up” (Spath, 2011, p. 236). As nurses we need to respect our patients’ wishes and give each

Growing evidence suggests that collaborative practice improves health care outcomes (Brown, Lindell, Dolansky, & Garber, 2015). Development of highly collaborative inter-professional teams is a key concern to the success of patient-centered holistic care. The relationship between nurses and physician can be the most crucial to the collaboration process. However throughout the whole health care team, building a relationship based off mutual respect and a patient-oriented mindset is essential. The support and dedication of the whole interdisciplinary team are really what makes the difference for patients’ health and well-being. It’s important that everybody is truly invested in the health of each patient, and makes that investment known. As a student nurse, I

Patient centered care is defined as “the practice of caring for patients (and their families) in ways that are meaningful and valuable to the individual patient, which includes listening to, informing and involving patients in their care” (Grenier and Knebel, 2003). Five challenges presented in patient centered care are patient obstacles, physician and practice obstacles, facility obstacles, community obstacles, and health literacy.

In my personal experience, I have found professional support and setting time for relaxation to be especially important for my self-care. I experience reduced stress and better able to employ self-care techniques when I utilize my support network. In addition, using humor in stressful situations helps myself to stay calm and keep stress levels low as well as adequate supervision time to process experiences and thoughts. Although compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma are not always avoidable due to the nature of work with clients who have experienced trauma, social workers should take steps for prevention, coping, and awareness of symptoms related to this type of

Soon-to-be Family Nurse Practitioners may find it exhilarating that the medical field is transitioning toward Patient and Family-Centered Care (PFCC). [1] The construct builds on the basic needs of patients and their families, which includes information, emotional support, and togetherness. The philosophy revolves around tenets of respect, information sharing, collaboration, and participation. PFCC practices aid nurses in building rapport with patients and their families and in turn encourages all stakeholders to participant in the patient’s treatment plan.

Medical social workers collaborate with other human service workers to help severely ill patients, suffering from physical and psychological issues. Throughout the many challenges of patients, medical social workers and other professionals meet the common and severe needs of people with physical and mental illnesses. Andrews, Darnell, McBride, & Gehlert (2013) state “Social workers are familiar with the complex and overlapping systems that must be negotiated to ensure that the social, psychological and economic needs of individuals and groups are addressed in a way that underscores optimal health” (p. 67). Once the patient discuss their core issues with the medical social worker and other medical staff members at the hospital, physicians, nurses, and medical social workers can give patients ' positive feedback the concerns their health and well-being. Medical social workers interact with each other for the patient’s safety.