The Existence of Degenerative Chronic Illnesses - Essay Example

Spirituality and Holistic Care Introduction Chronic illnesses are sickness that is “continuousindefinitely”. (Larson & Lubkin, 2009, p. 4) In general, older individuals have a higher tendency to experience mild to severe disability related to arthritis, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementias, stroke, and diabetes mellitus (Gray & Scott, 2003) whereas children suffers from mostly from asthma and eczema aside from ear and nervous system diseases (Isaacs & Sewell, 2003). Even though the existence of degenerative chronic illnesses between the age of 25 to 44 years old among the Australian adults is low (Dick, 2003), it remains a fact that there is a higher probability that individuals who suffer from at least one type of chronic illness may end up becoming partially or totally dependent on other people when performing their own activities of daily living (ADL) such as walking, bathing, dressing, and feeding. The family structures In Australia has significantly changed over the past twenty years. As reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007), it has been very evident that the number of divorce rates had increased whereas the marriage rates had decreased. Considering the high number of divorce, separation, and never been married cases, the number of elderly including the physically and mentally disabled individuals who continuously seek for a long-term care and treatment from the professional nurses has significantly increased over time. Managing chronic illnesses can be very time-consuming and inconvenient on the part of the patients’ family members. (Sawyer et al., 2003) For this reason, spirituality has considered as a principle of practice when rendering holistic care to the patients (Dyson, Cobb, & Forman, 2007). As part of the study, the student nurse will first discuss about the essential nature of spirituality as a core component of holistic care. Aiming to prove that the student nurse has gained a better understanding with regards to the role of nurses in supporting individuals spiritually when taking care of patients who are chronically ill, disabled, and/or dying; several real-life clinical examples wherein nurses should care for the patient will be provided in the study. General Information on the Essential Nature of Spirituality as a Core Component of Holistic Care Caring for the sick individuals is not limited to the administering of medications, symptom management, and personal care. When providing holistic care to the patients, it is essential for nurses to know that their health care practice should be delivered not only to the patient but also the patient’s family members. This statement is true especially with regards to the management of emotional and spiritual care. In other words, caring for patients and their family members has to be considered as a ‘unit of care’ (Hudson & Payne, 2008). Spirituality is a phenomenon regarding the “wholeness of individuals and their connectedness to a higher being that integrates the quest for meaning and purpose of life”. (DiJoseph & Cavendish, 2005) Considering that human beings are “biological-psychological-spiritual beings” (CiAP, 1995), nurses are obliged to incorporate the concept of holistic care with the spiritual needs to the patients. Despite knowing that human beings are spiritual beings, it is seldom on the part of most health care professionals to incorporate the concept of spirituality with the provision of holistic care. Regardless of age and gender, most of the patients who are suffering from chronic illness and life-threatening diseases often needs special comfort and support coming from the health care professionals. One of the emotional comfort that the health care professionals could deliver to the patients is to uplift their spiritual distress. This is true especially in the case of patients who have been diagnosed to have only few months left to live. By making the patient become spiritually balanced, it would be easier on the part of the health care professinals to provide them with less burden during the last few months or days of their lives. Similar to the positive emotional and psychological impact of integrating spirituality over the care for patients with life-threatening diseases, the application of this type of health care practice on patients with chronic illnesses could also develop a sense of hope and enthusiasm to be healed from the sickness. As a result, it is more likely for chronically ill patients to willingly accept and participate in the care and treatment rendered to them by the professional nurses. It is not advisable for us to consider that spirituality is synonymous with religion. (Dyson, Cobb, & Forman, 2007) In line with the idea as suggested by Dyson, Cobb, and Forman, Crisp et al. (2005) revealed that “spirituality and religiousity are often referred to as being synonymous. But for an accurate assessment of clients’ spiritual needs, it is important for the nurse to realise that they are not the same and to be able to make that distinction” (Crisp et al., p. 539). Instead of trying to understand the meaning of spirituality in the point-of-view of religion, health care professionals should focus more on using the concept of hope, relatedness/connectedness, and belief(s) when trying to understand the meaning of spirituality as applied to the practice of nursing (Dyson, Cobb, & Forman). Real-life Clinical Examples of Practicing Spirituality in Holistic Care Isaacs and Sewell (2003) explained that family members are more stressed out when caring for children who are suffering from mild to severe eczema as compared to the level of stress that family members experience when taking care of an adult patient who has insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Basically, the main reason why health care professional should consider the practice of spirituality in rendering holistic care to this type of patient is grounded to the fact that the child is expected to have disrupted sleep at night. Since the parents of the child has other important obligation to do during day time, it is expected that the child’s parents will be experiencing excessive stress when taking care of the child. When dealing with a patient who has been recently diagnosed with eczema, Swanston, Williams, and Nunn (2000) suggest that it is best for the health care professionals to consider all factors that will enable the child and his/her family members to easily cope with the said chronic illness. For this reason, health care professionals should consider all possible interventions that can effectively improve such resilience. For example: Examining how the patient’s family function will make it easier on the part of the nurse to have a better idea on how he/she can effectively manage or lessen the physical and emotional stress that the parents and the child’s siblings may be experiencing out of having to deal with the patient’s chronic disease. (Isaacs & Sewell, 2003) Upon developing a list of effective nursing intervention, the health care professional could more or less be able to lessen and minimize the chances wherein the family members would experience negative emotions suhc as anger and depression. Another good way of providing spirituality in holistic care is for the health care professionals to be able to identify the risk factors that may trigger psychosocial problems among the patient’s family members. (Isaacs & Sewell, 2003) For instance: It is possible for the patient to develop poor communication and social isolation from his/her family members and friends in case these people are not aware of the emotional, physical, and psychological effects of having to go through a particular chronic disease. To avoid having to experience such case, it becomes one of the main responsibility of the health care professional to educate and provide the people close to the patient with supportive counseling especially with regards to the emotional pain and psychological disturbances that the patient may go through because of the chronic illness. Unlike the older people, the young adolescents who are experiencing chronic illnesses may have a difficult time accepting their sickness before finally accepting treatment and care from the physicians and other related health care professionals. Based on the prospective study that was conducted by Sawyer et al. (2003), the authors have concluded that the young adolescents who have diabetes mellitus are less concern about the type of food and drink they consume. Even though these young individuals manage to find time for their insulin injection and monitoring of blood sugar (Sawyer et al., 2003), the careless attitude of young people when it comes to eating prohibited foods and drink simply reflect that inacceptance of the young people with regards to having a chronic illness. To effectively apply spirituality in the provision of holistic care for the young adults, it is possible on the part of the health care professionals to practice symbolic activities such as praying, lighting candles, burning of incense, making the sign of the cross, and/or using the prayer beads when praying. (DiJoseph & Cavendish, 2005) However, health care professionals should first be aware of the personal beliefs of the patient with chronic illness or life threatening diseases before performing any of these symbolic activities in order to avoid making the patient and his/her family members feel disrespected. Conclusion The provision of holistic care is not limited to the administering of medication and assisting the patients with their activities of daily living. In order to be more effective when rendering care to patients who are chronically ill or is suffering from a life-threatening disease, it is essential for each nurse and other health care professional to be able to effectively apply the concept of spirituality when delivering care to the patients and their family. According to Nagai-Jacobson & Burkhardt (1989), the provision of holistic nursing “involve the spirituality of both the nurse and the patient and is transformational for both”. In order to effectively provide holistic and spiritual care to the patients with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, the health care professionals should first practice being a good listener and communicator to people who are significant to the life of the patient. References: Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007, August 7). Retrieved March 4, 2009, from 4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 2007 : http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/26D94B4C9A4769E6CA25732C00207644?opendocument CiAP. (1995). Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Spirituality in nursing: http://www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au/hospolic/stvincents/1995/a04.html Crisp, J., Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., & Taylor, C. (2005). Potter and Perrys Fundamentals of Nursing. 2nd Edition. Australia: Elsevier. Dick, M.-L. B. (2003). Chronic illness in young Australian adults. The Medical Journal of Australia , 179(5):238. DiJoseph, J., & Cavendish, R. (2005). Expanding the Dialogue on Prayer Relevant to Holistic Care. 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