2023 Thoughts Elimination complexities can affect the lives of patients and their families in various ways An example includes patients who

Thoughts

Elimination complexities can affect the lives of patients and their families in various ways. An example includes patients who are receiving dialysis treatment for chronic kidney disease. This patient may no longer be able to work due to their dialysis schedule. They may feel that their life has been disrupted due to the long hours spent at a dialysis center. They may also feel that they’re a burden to their family members if the household income has decreased, there are extra medical expenses or if they need transportation to and from treatment.  These changes may cause the patient to feel depressed, which can affect motivation for medication and treatment compliance.  Also, adjusting to a new way of life may cause some anxiety for the patient and their loved ones, especially if/when complications and/or hospitalizations occur.

Nurses have an extremely important role in providing patients and their families with education. This can help to alleviate an uneasy feelings by promoting health and preventing recurring hospital admissions. This is also crucial in transitioning a patient from their illness to being more independent (Whitney, 2018). As patients and their families are provided with more knowledge, they’re able to make more informed decisions regarding medical care and treatment.

Helping patients to maintain or regain their mental health when dealing with medical issues, also known as resiliency, is a very valuable nursing intervention. It can help increase the patient’s quality of life (QOL) and can be done in numerous ways (Whitney, 2018). Encouraging resiliency includes providing care and support during the acute stages of illness, providing resources for support groups when discharging the patient, setting realistic goals for recovery and independence, encouraging physical and occupational therapy and encouraging patience (Whitney, 2018). These interventions have proven to provide positive outcomes, especially when started early on in the patient’s illness.