Child With Cardiovascular or Genetic Disorders, Essay Example

Introduction

A 4 year-old child was evaluated when he experienced difficulties breathing and exerting effort in routine activities. It was important to determine the cause of these breathing issues, to evaluate a diagnosis, and determine the appropriate treatment approach for the child. After the physician had evaluated the child and diagnosed him with a previously undetected congenital heart defect, it was important to identify a treatment plan to ensure that the patient would recover and achieve a normal life. This experience was invaluable because it provided me with an opportunity to consider the symptoms and potential long-term complications of congenital heart defects as they impact children, further advancing my knowledge in this area of study.

Analysis

In this case, the child required surgery to repair the defect and to minimize any additional risks. Preparing the child for surgery was difficult because he and his parents were fearful of the surgery and the possible outcomes, as any type of surgery carries some degree of risk. Since congenital heart defects are difficult to manage in some patients, I recognized that the risks are high for this population, yet screening and other techniques are very valuable in supporting effective diagnoses and treatment strategies (van der Bom et.al, 2011).  It was important to address possible quality of life issues post-surgery in an effort to ease the fears of the family and any possible complications that might occur. Quality of life in children with congenital heart defects is a complex process that requires a continuous level of attention in order to ensure that these factors are optimized to improve the lives of children with this condition (Bellinger and Newburger, 2010). In this setting, I was tasked with providing a supportive environment so that the child would experience a greater sense of comfort with the pending surgery and an opportunity to achieve greater quality of life after the experience (Bellinger and Newburger, 2010). Since quality of life is significant for children with congenital heart disease, it is necessary to address these fears and to recognize the importance of providing patients and their families with a framework for success in achieving successful health outcomes (Luyckx et.al, 2012).

The challenges associated with congenital heart defects are many; therefore, I was in a position to provide a level of support and encouragement for the patient. At this stage, I sought to convey my support in a positive manner by encouraging the patient and his family through my actions, including the burdens that are associated with the condition (Connor et.al, 2010), in addition to the benefits of surgery. This was a difficult situation because the family and the patient were clearly apprehensive of the surgery, yet the child required this level of immediate attention to correct the defect and to improve his quality of life. This provided some relief to the family and enabled them to address their concerns in a proactive manner.

Conclusion

This patient serves as a visible reminder that disease affects individuals across all age groups and that children are particularly vulnerable to health concerns for many reasons. Therefore, it is important to identify the resources that are available to facilitate the development of new perspectives to provide patients and their families with much needed support and encouragement when the diagnosis is particularly difficult to accept. The nurse’s responsibility for patient care must include a comprehensive strategy to address the psychosocial aspects of care and treatment that often remain difficult to manage, and this is best accomplished through the development of an effective approach to bedside manner and the enhancement of communication skills so that patients and their families experience greater comfort in the hospital environment.

References

Bellinger, D.C., and Newburger, J.W. (2010). Neuropsychological, psychosocial, and quality-of life outcomes in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease. Progress in Pediatric Cardiology, 29(2), 87-92.

Connor, J.A., Kline, N.E., Mott, S., Harris, S.K., and Jenkins, K.J. (2010). The meaning of cost for families of children with congenital heart disease. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 24(5), 318-325.

Luyckx, K., Missotten, L., Goossens, E., and Moons, P. (2012). Individual and contextual determinants of quality of life in adolescents with congenital heart disease. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51(2), 122-128.

Van der Bom, T., Zomer, A.C., Zwinderman, A.H., Meijboom, F.J., Bouma B.J., and Mulder, BJM. (2011). The changing epidemiology of congenital heart disease. Nature Reviews Cardiology¸ 8, 50-60.