Weekly clinical experience
Name
institution
Nurses who specialize in taking care of older adults are referred to as gerontological nurses. The nurses work with older patients and involve their families and communities to support better lives, healthy aging, and proper function. Statistics have shown that life expectance has increased, whereas fertility rates have decreased. It is, therefore, essential for the globe to take care of their old ones. Older adults are at high risk of attack by diseases and other lifestyle disorders due to their weakened immune system. As a gerontological nurse, I worked with a medical doctor to take care of the old who wanted help at his clinic, and here is the week’s experience.
Many challenges are associated with the elderly. The challenges don’t only involve health issues but may also be related to psychological problems. Older adults may experience psychological issues due to several factors such as loneliness as all persons have moved out and left them alone at home or due to financial problems as they are physically weak and can’t earn for themselves. Most elderly adults don’t save for their retirement and get abandoned by their friends, and family can lead them into depression. Hence, it is essential to set them up with counseling psychologists who help them overcome such challenges.
There are, however, health issues such as diseases, disorders, and conditions that require physical therapists and medical practitioners to assist. Common health issues that face the elderly include Chronic diseases such as heart attacks, cognitive health, which focus on a person’s ability to remember, learn and think, mental health, physical injuries, mental disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, malnutrition, bladder control, substance abuse, oral health, and sensory impairments. In the clinic, I encountered patients with one or several of these conditions.
It was on the first day of the week where I meet Mary. Mary is seventy-seven years old. She had been admitted to the hospital that morning. Apart from having a condition which was Diabetes, Mary had injured her leg as she worked her farm that morning. Her wound was quite swollen and could not stop bleeding. The injury is a risk factor for the patient as it has the underlying condition; it would be difficult to heal and kill her. The doctor advised me to give her pills for pain and antibiotics. I was also advised to clean the wound daily until it showed more improvement. The physical therapist recommended that it not be healthy for the patient to lay around until the injury is all healed and advised her to take thirty minutes’ walk every day. Therefore, I had the duty to support Mary for the remaining part of her week as she went for her walk and remind her of taking all her drugs.
Peter also comes to the clinic in the week. Peter is seventy years old. Besides being a health old lad. He had suffered an accident and broken his legs. The medical doctor observed the portion and gave me instructions on cleaning and dressing. The physical therapist emphasized on exercising the leg. He taught me several procedures that would guide the patient in his daily activities. He also advised me to take the patient for a thirty-minute walk twice a day. The rest of the patients who arrived at the clinic that week were younger adults and were attended to by other nurses.
The week had been overwhelming because thou I had just two patients to attend to, both of them had a lot of care to be given, including cleaning for both of them. At the end of the week, I had to leave my patience at the mercy of another nurse. Though they had good progress, they were not yet ready to be discharged. My experience at the clinic was a good one, though, because apart from having corporative patience, the medical doctor and physical therapist were also supportive people.