Day 6: Caring for Patients, Abuse Neglect and Exploitation

Introduction to Patient Care

Person-centered care is a care concept that recognizes that individuals have unique values, personal histories, personalities and that each person has an equal right to dignity, respect, and to participate fully in his/her environment.

The goal of person-centered care honors the importance of keeping the person at the center of his/her care and decision making process.

Those providing the care must actively listen and observe to be able to adapt to each individual’s changing needs, regardless of his/her condition or disease process.

It is extremely important to ensuring that everyone is treated as an individual with the focus not being placed just on their illness, abilities, or inabilities.

Making sure that people are involved in their care is now recognized as a key component of providing for a high quality of health care.

These are several aspects of person-centered care that should be accounted for

Respecting Resident’s values and putting them at the center of their care

Taking into account Resident’s preferences and expressed needs

Coordinating and integrating care

Making sure Residents are physically comfortable and safe

Making sure there is continuity between and within the services that the Resident is receiving; and

Making sure Residents have access to appropriate care when they need it.

Person-centered care is about focusing care on the needs of the person in all areas of care.

Describe the role of the nursing assistant

The role of a nursing assistant is to provide basic care to patients, as well as assist them in daily activities they might have trouble with on their own such as bathing, eating, ambulation, and monitoring of vital signs.

They should have phenomenal communication skills since it's their job to bring all patient concerns and issues to the supervising Nurses.

The nurse assistant or (nurse aide) may work in various health care settings and is usually the primary “hands on” caregiver.

It is where most healthcare workers start and possible progress to other health care professions.

The importance of their job and the skills they provide are essential to improved quality of life for those they provide care to.

Chain of command: The line of authority in a facility that helps make sure that residents get proper healthcare

In any organizational structure, a chain of command is meant to create a clear line of responsibility from the bottom to the top of the organization.  A good organizational structure lets everyone know to whom to report and what their responsibilities are.

Liability: a legal term that means someone can be held responsible for harming someone else

Policy: a course of action that should be taken every time a certain situation occurs

Procedure: a specific method, or way, of conducting a task

These are common policies and procedures in facilities:

all resident information is confidential

residents care plan must be followed

personal problems are not discussed with residents

gifts and money cannot be accepted from residents or family members.

Unprofessional and Illegal acts agains Residents

Abuse:

purposely causing physical, mental, or emotional pain or injury to someone

Physical abuse:

any treatment, intentional or not, that causes harm to a persons body. This includes slapping, bruising, shoving, ect.

Psychological abuse:

any behavior that causes a person to feel threatened, fearful, intimidated or humiliated in anyway

Verbal abuse:

The use of language that is spoken or written that threatens, embarrasses, or insults a person

Sexual abuse:

forcing a person to perform or participate in sexual acts against his or her will

Financial abuse:

the act of stealing, taking advantage of, or improperly using the money, property, or other assets of another person

Substance abuse:

the use of legal or illegal drugs or alcohol, in a way that is not intended, or harmful to the abuser or others

Involuntary seclusion:

separating a person from others against the persons will (example: Making a person go to their room because they misbehave)

Recognizing potential signs of abuse:

Unexplained bruising, swellings, pain or other unexplained injuries

Sudden changes in resident’s personality or behavior

Fear and anxiety.

Recognizing potential signs of abuse:

Unexplained bruising, swellings, pain or other unexplained injuries

Sudden changes in resident’s personality or behavior

Fear and anxiety.

Chart of suspicious injuries

Illustrated below is a chart of injuries that might be signs of resident abuse