Rehabilitation for Chronically Ill, Research Paper Example

Definition of Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is defined as the provision of services and/or programs which have a specific purpose or intent to promote recovery from trauma or illness, or to “make able” patients who have been diagnosed with one or more chronic illnesses (Larsen & Lubkin, 2010). The primary purpose or function of rehabilitation is to restore a greater sense of wellbeing and independence for patients who have experienced a loss of freedom and strength as a result of trauma or chronic illness; therefore, caregivers are responsible for providing the necessary resources, support, and guidance to ensure that patients receive optimal care and treatment to promote recovery and to restore independence as best as possible (Larsen & Lubkin, 2010). A successful rehabilitation strategy involves a number of key players from multiple disciplines, who work with patients and family members to ensure that the appropriate efforts are made to facilitate a positive rehabilitative state on a continuous basis in order to promote patient recovery (Larsen & Lubkin, 2010).

Nursing Roles/Focus

Nurses must be able to provide rehabilitation services under a variety of circumstances that involve patients who have experience traumatic events or who have one or more chronic diseases. As a result, it is necessary to evaluate the conditions under which patients are able to thrive and to achieve optimal recovery rates with the support of nurses who have the proper training and guidance. Rehabilitation is a critical factor in the development of a successful strategy to improve the options that are available to patients who require these services; therefore, nurses must emphasize quality improvement in this regard and identify best practices to support this patient population and their needs effectively (Ohtake, Strasser, & Needham, 2013). The ability of patients to restore some functionality is instrumental in this process and supports the ability of nurses to respond to different patients effectively and to develop strategies to support their needs in a rehabilitative context (Ohtake et.al, 2013). Nurses must play a role in supporting a patient’s transition back into a familiar setting with greater independence and strength, using evidence-based practice as a guide in this process (Ohtake et.al, 2013). In addition, providing care for patients with rehabilitative needs requires nurses to develop a compassionate approach to their practice that will have a positive impact on this group (St-Germain, Boivin, & Fougeyrollas, 2011). This reflects the importance of nurses in offering compassionate care that will impact the rehabilitation process and motivate patients to achieve optimal recovery and independence (St.-Germain et.al, 2011).

Nurses must provide a framework that promotes an emphasis on rehabilitation and strength so that patients receive optimal attention and focus on an individual basis to impact their rehabilitation in a positive manner (St.-Germain et.al, 2011). They must also understand that patients require a compassionate and caring approach that will positively influence the needs of the population and the overall ability to recognize how to provide rehabilitative services effectively (St.-Germain et.al, 2011). Nurses must provide added value to rehabilitative services for patients and also enhance their recovery by promoting greater communication and socialization for patients that will better emphasize quality of care and a concerted effort to promote wellbeing (St.-Germain et.al, 2011).

Benefit to Patients and Families

Patients who require rehabilitation require individualized attention and focus in order to be positively impacted by the work that nurses perform in a clinical capacity, and this reflects a need to enhance the quality of care that patients receive through individual attention and focus through listening, communication, and information sharing (Tyrrell, Levack, Ritchie, & Keeling, 2012). These characteristics require nurses to be impactful in their efforts to treat patients who require rehabilitation with the appropriate methods and techniques in place (Tyrrell et.al, 2012). It is important to emphasize family-based communication because family members are often fearful of rehabilitation and what patients may go through in this process; therefore, nurses must demonstrate compassion and support in sharing information with family members to also meet their needs and to improve upon existing communication to support patient care and family-based needs effectively. Family members must also receive accurate information and education from nurses in order to ensure that they understand the requirements of the rehabilitation process for patients, depending on their specific needs.

Patient Education

Rehabilitation is a complex and often exhausting process for patients and their family members; therefore, educational offerings must be comprehensive and must bridge some of the gaps that may exist with respect to education in this area. At the same time, educating patients with rehabilitative needs requires the ability to empower them and give them the courage that is required to support their needs (Lofgren et.al, 2014). Patients who may possess limitations that require rehabilitation must receive the appropriate level of education and knowledge to understand the risks associated with their rehabilitation; in addition, nurses must recognize the vulnerability of these patients and determine what steps are required to improve patient outcomes from the rehabilitation experience (Lofgren et.al, 2014). There must be a significant emphasis placed upon the core values and beliefs of nursing and how these translate into effective outcomes for patients and in determining how to best accommodate rehabilitative efforts at a high level to enhance quality of care (Lofgren et.al, 2014). Rehabilitation education must be comprehensive and support an understanding of nurse-led interventions and how to improve patient quality of life.

References

Larsen, P.D., & Lubkin, I.M. (2010). Chronic Illness: Impact and Intervention, 7^th Edition. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Löfgren, S., Hedström, M., Ekström, W., Lindberg, L., Flodin, L., & Ryd, L. (2014). Power to the patient: care tracks and empowerment a recipe for improving rehabilitation for hip fracture patients. Scandinavian journal of caring sciences.

Ohtake, P. J., Strasser, D. C., & Needham, D. M. (2013). Translating research into clinical practice: the role of quality improvement in providing rehabilitation for people with critical illness. Physical therapy, 93(2), 128-133.

St-Germain, D., Boivin, B., & Fougeyrollas, P. (2011). The Caring-Disability Creation Process model: a new way of combining ‘Care’in nursing and ‘Rehabilitation’for better quality of services and patient safety. Disability and rehabilitation, 33(21-22), 2105-2113.

Tyrrell, E. F., Levack, W. M., Ritchie, L. H., & Keeling, S. M. (2012). Nursing contribution to the rehabilitation of older patients: patient and family perspectives. Journal of advanced nursing, 68(11), 2466-2476.