Metaparadigm Case

In order to provide the right dimension of care to meet the individual needs of each patient, each component of the metaparadigm of nursing must be considered. This metaparadigm was first developed by Florence Nightingale and is still a valid and important tool nurses use every day. Its four components are person, environment, health and nursing each works to help the other for a better understanding and application of proper care (Fawcett, 1994). The first paradigm refers not only to a person, but also to the families or social groups who are involved in the nursing treatment. A nurse’s care must extend beyond the patient and must involve their entire support network. The nurse must be aware of everything about the patient such as their beliefs, values, and personal preferences as well as involving the patient in decisions that will affect their recovery. This is part of establishing proper communication. Without proper communication, the patient might feel passive, as if they have no ownership over their own life. As a nurse, one must never forget that treatment goes beyond the physical; it is important to make the patient feel comfortable with their role and surroundings as well.

The environment plays a key role, which can be best explained in two ways: the internal and external environment. The internal environment refers to the patient’s own emotional, cultural, and social conditions. The external environment refers to where the patient receives their care. Additionally, the environment in which each individual exists will have an impact on the outcome of his or her health. Therefore, nurses must take into account the patients specific circumstances that he/she lives in and with this information, be able to devise a proper treatment method for them. A nurse’s understanding of the environments in relation to their patients can significantly affect the health status and even enhance the recovery. Furthermore, it is important to understand the metaparadigm of health in relation to the patient. This entails the patient knowing what being in good health consists of along with recognizing and accepting that death is a natural part of the life cycle. However, not everybody interprets wellness or death the same way.

Therefore, “health can be defined as the optimal level of one’s potential relating to the environment” (Ingalls & Tourville, 2003). The World Health Organization describes health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well -being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It’s important for a nurse to take into account how their patient defines health and their well being when providing care. This is crucial because if the patient has the wrong idea of what health is then this can slow their recovery and so it is the nurse’s duty to educate them as to what is proper good health to expedite their recovery. Finally, the nursing component of the metaparadigm refers to the relationship between the nurse and their patient. This relationship goes further than physical treatment.

It also includes the nurse gathering all the information of the patient on their close groups (such as family), and their environment and how it affects them along with their understanding of health. By having all this knowledge on their patients, a nurse is able to develop the best form of treatment for them and educate them on it. The nurse must provide the patient with the support they need to help build strength while involving their families and communities in their path to healing. The metaparadigm of nursing is a multidimensional concept that aims to address and enhance the practice of nursing. It allows nurses to better understand the art and science of nursing as it applies to every specific individual. Nursing concepts

Within the nursing field there are a variety of practice-specific concepts that range from ethics, religion, nurse’s role and many others. Though there is a long ongoing list, many of the concepts are viewed differently or similarly among nurses and patients (Castell, 2008). Some of the most common ones are communication, collaboration, care, and culture. The concept of communication is a dynamic and interactive process. It involves the exchange of information through listening, verbal and nonverbal behavior, writing and using information technology. An effective communication between a nurse and their patient is vital to make the patient feel comfortable enough to fully open up with the nurse and ultimately, enhance their bond while reducing any barrier that might inhibit treatment. Additionally, communication can be used in a therapeutic manner. For example, the nurse can educate their patient and discuss individual health goals to help them reach their optimal level of health. In a setting such as a wound center, communication is a key factor for high quality patient care in that it contributes to rapid information sharing, reduces medical expenses, promotes effective nursing care and increases patient satisfaction. For example, a patient who fails to communicate with their nurse and doesn’t notify them that they are not following through with their treatment will hinder their progress towards recovery.

That is why it is important for nurses to collaborate with each other to help their patients. Collaboration is defined as the frequent interaction that occurs when people work together. It is imperative for the role of a registered nurse practitioner as it will help to achieve the desired outcome of being able to work quickly while also making enough time to provide the proper care to as many patients as possible. It requires nurses to not only work together but to also spend time together socially interacting away from the clinical setting. This may at times impose a struggle since not all nurses understand how to collaborate in a clinical setting however there are some strategies for improving this nurse-nurse collaboration, which may include the support and promotion of collaborative practice among nurses as well as the development of institutional and organizational programs that focus on creating different opportunities for nurses to learn about collaboration in the practice setting (Moore, Prentice, 2013).

A clinical example of the crucial role that collaboration plays among the workplace is when a patient needs their dressing changed in their home by a home health nurse who must be in contact with the patient’s primary nurse in order to follow through with the proper treatment. Care and attention to detail are important in maintaining a strong collaborative effort for patient well-being. An additional practice-specific concept in nursing is caring. Caring for a patient’s general well being will lead nurses to provide them with the best possible treatment. According to Swanson, “caring for a person’s biopsychosocial and spiritual well-being is a fundamental and universal component of good nursing care”. The concept of caring allows the patient to feel comfortable with the treatment appointed by their nurse but also provides the nurse with confidence to give the proper diagnosis and treatment. Showing care for patients permits them to feel comfortable thus helping reduce their anxiety and their environmental stressors (Butts, 2010). A prime example of how caring is constantly being used among nurses and their patients is when a nurse simply asks how a patient is feeling and how their lives are.

By doing this, they are able to analyze the patient’s response by sensing tension or happiness and using that to develop treatment. A nurse must also take into consideration the culture of their patient when reading into their responses. Culture plays a major role in the lives of people on a daily basis. This refers to the set of values, beliefs and traditions that are retained and passed down through generations among individual groups and communities. In addition culture incorporates people’s beliefs, habits, likes and dislikes, as well as their customs and rituals (Butts, 2010). Nurses need to keep in mind the concept of culture when providing care for a patient, as it can sometimes be a sensitive area for the patients. The nursing practice stresses the importance of providing culture-specific care while still upholding the universal practices. Since the United States is heavily multi-cultured, nurses must be familiar with the most common ones in order to fulfill the best treatment possible while respecting the patient and their needs. An example of how significant this is to the field is when a patient whose culture prohibits them from being treated by a male-nurse, regardless of their qualifications, as a result the nursing staff must then accommodate the patient’s requests and make sure that only female-nurses provide care.

List of Propositions
1. Effective communication between the nurse and their patient is essential. 2. The nurse must perform a nursing assessment in order to provide the best care. 3. The nurse must understand and respect the patient’s culture to decide the proper course for treatment. 4. The nurse should inquire about the patient’s mental well-being. 5. The patient will recover faster if they have the drive to do so.