Patient Safety and Conflict, Essay Example

This summer, I worked as a CNA at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital. While there, I observed a nurse talking to a patient that didn’t seem to be telling her the full story about his health. The primary reason he was admitted to the hospital was because he was having difficulty breathing. The nursed asked him about his health history including whether he had experiences any respiratory problems such as asthma or pneumonia, in addition to any allergies may have. He claimed that he had never had these problems before, but researched his symptoms and believed he was having an asthma attack.

Despite the patients report of having an asthma attack, conventional treatments using albuterol did not help his case. However, he was exhibiting symptoms that cocaine addicts typically do, such as anxiety, elevated blood rate, and history of kidney damage. After the patient was examined by the doctor, it was determined that he likely suffered lung damage as a result of prolonged cocaine use.

This lack of communication had a negative impact on patient safety because the patient could have been improperly diagnosed if he had been able to successfully detract the nurse from the real illness. It is fortunate that the nurse was able to work with the doctor to correctly identify the symptoms of lung damage from cocaine use rather than asthma. Despite this, the nurse could have done better when initially interviewing the patient to ensure that he was aware that any information he provided with her would remain confidential and only be used to treat his case. It is essential that nurses establish good communication with their patients from the beginning to avoid situations like this.