Miscarriage Scenario: Swanson's Theory of Caring - Essay Example

? Swanson’s Theory of Caring Introduction Swanson’s theory is derived from the practice and researches done by Dr. Kristen Swanson. The doctor’s focus has been majorly on pregnancy. It avails a platform that deals with miscarriages and the healing required for the family of the patient. Therefore this paper chooses “Swanson’s Middle Range Caring Theory” to address a miscarriage scenario. The situation involves a patient experiencing regular but uncomfortable contractions and progressively becoming stronger after miscarriage (Adolfsson et al., 2004). Clinical observations include temperature, blood pressure and pulses are normal. The model used in this context involves evaluating the caregiver’s attitude. They include being competent, meeting individual needs of the women and respecting their dignity. If proper care is given after a woman miscarries then she has the power to improve on her own. The scenario involves women who had early miscarries and those who had a late miscarriage. Nurses and midwives who care for these women are also considered in this situation. Swanson’s caring categories apply in this scenario that includes “Maintaining belief”, “knowing”, “being with”, “doing for” and “enabling” (Brier, 2008). The middle range caring theory The theory is built on the basic Swanson’s fundamental principles. These elements are the usual five that the doctor developed in her theory. The first developed by the doctor in 1991 element is referred to as “knowing” (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). It strives to understand an event in the way it has a meaning in another person’s life. It does not assume that one can know what the other feels or they way he or she is affected by the situation. Instead, it tries to understand and endeavor to take care of the person. The lives of the patients are important and the nurse is obliged to fully understand it. When a nurse embraces ‘knowing’, he or she develops empathy that is important for the care receiver. It encompasses observations, systematic research and prolonged clinical experience. The second process is ‘being with’ and it implies being available or with the woman. It implies stepping into her shoes, providing psychological, emotional and physical support (Krippendorff, 2004). It also involves effective communication and good listening skills. The midwife must display assertiveness, advocacy and competence to protect her interests. ‘Doing for’ process requires maintenance of both knowledge and skills (Adolfsson et al., 2004). It entails doing what the other person would do to themselves and is a practical side and art of the midwife profession. It can be described as comforting, being protective, anticipatory. Nurses should practice it with competency and use all the available skills. The other process is ‘enabling’. This model describes it as facilitation of an individual’s passage through transitions from unfamiliar events (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). It is also referred to as empowerment. To empower the women, nurses must give them choices and be fully informed of them. This enables them to control their decisions regarding pregnancy resulting to equal partnership when giving care. For the midwives to give informed choices, they must be aware of all evidence-based guidelines that are relevant to them (Brier, 2008). Finally yet importantly, ‘maintaining belief’ is the fifth process and entails fulfilling expectations using realities. However, it is only achieved if the expectations are real. Maintaining belief enables midwives “to know, be with and do for” (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009). This final process brings all other processes together thereby forming one whole process. Brier (2008) describes it as holding individuals in esteem; believing in the person’s ability to realize set goals. The goal is to have a normal birth that includes a healthy infant and a well-being mother. In the real world, great emotions are always achieved with the importance of birth. The event is not only physical but also spiritual. Spirituality is always incorporated in the fifth process (maintain belief) (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). How it can be used to guide and enhance nursing practice The processes are individually explained but they are not mutually exclusive. For instance knowing does not allow the nurse to have the required knowledge. It is right to recommend this theory to nurses because it gives them an insight on how to develop good relations with patients. Fast and foremost, midwives should assess health needs of the patient. Two processes are applied in this case namely ‘enabling and knowing’. Further knowledge is a practical part of the delivery process and comes about as an experience. Nurses or the midwives are therefore required to know how to handle certain situations and also enable patients to achieve their goal of normal delivery. Pregnant mothers have a variety of needs that include safe delivery and fetal well being, monitoring progress, supportive environment, meeting nutritional requirements among others. All these needs can only be met if the midwives adhere to five elements or processes. Midwives should empathize with women in labor before embarking on helping them. This compassion helps bridge the difference between caregiver and the individual receiving the services (Adolfsson et al., 2004). It can be compared to those giving counseling advices. These elements encompass techniques that are care-based for both fathers and mothers and dynamics between them after a miscarriage. The elements incorporate social-cultural impacts on the family that loses a baby. Maintaining belief of the patient helps in pain endurance. In this case, a patient has been admitted and is having developed pain after miscarriage. When she is encouraged, it heals her both physically and spiritually. The theories can also be used by hospitals to realize the quality and competence among the staff. Solutions to problems in the scenario The major problem in this scenario is the loss of the baby. However, the woman should be relieved of the pain that she has been experiencing for three hours. Monitoring should take courses immediately after she has been admitted. This helps to determine if her body condition is normal. On the other hand, supportive environment helps the patient realize that she is not in the problem alone. This can be achieved by giving comfort and providing all essentials (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). She can be given some pills to relieve the pain because it is progressive. How the theory or the concept might be used in other nursing situations The theory is not only restricted to delivery cases only. Other health sectors are also faced with care giving problems. Patients need quality care to help heal them. Caring group or the nursing team has to deliver optimal care to patients and their families. For instance, in the surgery unit, supportive environment helps the family have faith and believe in the whole process (Adolfsson et al., 2004). Nurses are obliged to use Swanson’s theory or concept to achieve quality results. Technology can be used all health sectors to aid in service delivery. For instance, the management can introduce cart stock with everything (Brier, 2008). These carts must be portable and accessible by all the patients. These equipments are also applicable to outpatient cases that may be bedridden. Hospitals should work closely with family members for easy access of these carts. This type of comfort can lift up patient spirit and speed up recovery. Patient’s nutritional needs should be a replica of home services. They should not be so exposed to the hospital environment because some patients detest the environment. Hospital surrounding should be quiet (Brier, 2008). Noise brings about frustration among the patients and can influence their healing process. The management should arrange to have quiet hours to ensure caring, respectful and a healing environment. Nurses can arrange to have specific hours of silence on each floor. It makes patients feel that they are valued and respected. Surroundings of the hospital are also vital and nurse should ensure the least influence of the external environment. Swanson recommends carrying visual signs to quickly address the needs of patients and staff. It is a responsibility that lies with the hospital management (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). Whether urgent or not, the hospital should feel intimated with patient needs. For a long time, nurses have been complaining of neglect by the health sector. The management should work closely with them to give them good remuneration and motivation (Adolfsson et al., 2004). A highly motivated nurse shows high performance which in turn reciprocates to the patient. Knowledge and information are important in the nursing profession. They nurse to know the needs of patients and how to deal with certain situations or scenarios (Brier, 2008). These five processes of Swanson can only be met if hospital informatics are put into use. She has a blog and the nurses can contact them for further information. On the other hand hospitals must create an intranet that is used to share caring wisdom through discussion forum and newsletter (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). Sharing brings nurses together and makes them find solutions for their own problems. For instance the nurse can know the importance of empathy which makes their duty bearable. This paper recommends that Swanson’s theory of caring should be integrated into the nursing profession. In other health sectors, this model recommends being with the patient regardless of the condition. When attending to mental health cases, the caregiver should put him or her to the patients’ shoes. Attitudes of the nurses are important when giving health care. She should be welcoming and willing to help the patients. The work should never be a burden to them but a motivation towards helping others. Health sectors should initiate training programs that encourages or embraces Swanson’s theories. Conclusion Swanson’s middle range caring theory includes giving support, emotionally present, respect for the woman’s dignity and meeting her individual needs. Proper care after miscarriage helps the woman gain the energy to withstand the situation. This particular developed a theory that most academicians later used to develop health care models. The theory involves five processes that include “Maintaining belief”, “knowing”, “being with”, “doing for”, “enabling” (Jansson & Adolfsson, 2011). If properly followed by the nurses, top quality care can be achieved. This theory was developed to help miscarriage scenarios and create awareness among pregnant women. However, they are not restricted to midwives. Other nurses can also use them for all patients equally need quality care which the elements of the theory recommend. References Adolfsson, A., Larsson, P. G., Wijma, B & C. Berter. (2004). Guilt and Emptiness: Women’s Experiences of Miscarriage. Health Care for Women International, 25(6), pp. 543-560. doi:10.1080/07399330490444821 Brier, N. (2008). Grief Following Miscarriage a Comprehensive Review of the Literature. Journals of Women’s Health, Vol. 17, No. 3, April 2008, pp. 451-464. Jansson, C., & Adolfsson, A. (2011). Application of “Swanson’s Middle Range Caring Theory” in Sweden after miscarriage. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, Vol. 2 No. 2, 2011, pp. 102-109. doi: 10.4236/ijcm.2011.22021. Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content Analysis: An Introduction. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2009). The Qualitative Research Interview. Lund: Students Literature. Read More