Modern healthcare emphasizes the role of patient advocacy in improving healthcare delivery and meeting quality standards. Patient advocacy entails proper patient education on their rights and general expectations in a healthcare setting; it is essential to modern healthcare delivery(Harbishettar et al, 2019). Intricate patient education can take different forms, which could be implemented in the hospital setup or outpatient services. Therefore, in this scenario, I interviewed a friend, James (not their real name), on their healthcare experience regarding their interaction with healthcare personnel and how they treated and guided them post-treatment.
On Education after Illness
First, I inquired about the guidance they received after being discharged from the hospital. In this regard, James emphasized how the nurse helped him understand how to take his medication and overcome anxiety attacks after the accidents. After getting involved in an accident that left him admitted to the facility for four weeks, James claims that he was discharged with instructions on how to take his antibiotics and clean the wounds he sustained from his fall. Moreover, the nurse went an extra step to refer James to a mental health expert at the facility who was to help him cope with the anxiety and mental health struggles that resulted from the accident.
Advise on Exercise and Diet
James claims that the nurses encouraged him to take a lot of proteins, calories, and fruits after being discharged since it would help initiate his recovery from the injuries. Nienow et al. (2021) emphasize that high-calorie intake is essential during recovery from illness and rehabilitation. With this, he was encouraged to take nutrition advice from reputable sites to help guide him on meal combinations that would improve his health outcomes. Moreover, James also asked to take in a lot of sunlight and talk about morning and evening walks to start managing the injuries on his skin and joints. He took this advice seriously, and it positively affected his recovery, since as soon as the pain in his joints reduced, he slowly started taking evening walks that aided in his recovery.
Help During Recovery
James claimed that after he got home, some of the people who helped him during his recovery were his parents, siblings, and even some friends who helped him. According to Cetin( 2023), family plays a crucial role in the recovery and treatment of patients by providing mental health support or by their presence. The help he needed most was cleaning his clothes and necessities and movement inside the house, which was implemented by relying on most of his friends and siblings to help around the house. Besides, his friends and family also ensured that he had enough emotional support throughout his recovery, and this helped a lot with the mental health struggles that he faced after the surgery. Through words of reaffirmation and company that he enjoyed throughout their interactive sessions, it was easier for James to stick to his recovery program and embrace change.
Service Assistance for the Elderly.
James acknowledged that he can access several services within the community while he gets older. He claims free mental health services within the community with toll numbers. They readily come to pick patients up with ambulances and other technological components where the elderly can access services at home. Tombrini et al. ( 2021) acknowledge the increased technical support that older people can receive in their old age to improve their services. These include patients who suffer from mental health disorders or any suicide alerts within the area. Moreover, support groups exist for war veterans and ordinary people who are trying to get mental health help in the community. Further, he insists that these communities have excellent quality elderly homes with exceptional services, and he wouldn’t mind staying in these homes since they are close to his family.
References
Cetin N. (2023). Examining the Role of Post-Treatment Family Support in Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology, 12(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1089/jayao.2021.0179
Harbishettar, V., Krishna, K. R., Srinivasa, P., & Gowda, M. (2019). The enigma of doctor-patient relationship. Indian journal of psychiatry, 61(Suppl 4), S776–S781. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_96_19
Nienow, M. K., Susterich, C. E., & Peterson, S. J. (2021). Prioritizing nutrition during recovery from critical illness. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 24(2), 199–205. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0000000000000728
Trombini, M., Ferraro, F., Morando, M., Regesta, G., & Dellepiane, S. (2021). A Solution for the Remote Care of Frail Elderly Individuals via Exergames. Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 21(8), 2719. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21082719
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