Thursday, March 26, 2020

Smoking health promotion free essay sample

In this reflection I will be using Gibbs Model of Reflection (Jasper M, 2003). I will be talking about a patient who was advised to give up smoking, as part of promoting health to the patient but not directly linked to their illness and treatment. What Happened. I had a patient come into the ward who had had surgery, but this patient was overweight and a smoker which always effects the procedure and recovery. During the nights they had to sleep with a machine to help him breath but during the days he would still manage to get outside for a smoke while he was in recovery. Obviously this was a bad thing that was happening to this patient as smoking can slow down recovery because it effects how the body works with regards to oxygen intake and oxygen circulation (Thibodeau Patton 2010). As smoker though, I can see how the patient would of benefitted emotionally as smoking can relieve stress and boredom, though these temporary fixes don’t outweigh the health problems it was obviously causing the patient. We will write a custom essay sample on Smoking health promotion or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One of the nurses on duty and myself tried talking to the patient about their smoking and the first thing we needed to know is if they would like help to quit. As this is important because to change, the patient has to want to change (Cocoran N, 2007). The model from Prochaska and diclemente (1984) illustrates this point very well with their trans theoretical model of change. We tried to explain how smoking could effect this patient’s ability to heal and also problems caused to their breathing during the night. I understood why the nurse was suggesting this and that I should be promoting health also but if the patient needed to smoke for that short term fix, then why shouldn’t they be able to. Personally I felt like a bit of a hypocrite because I smoke myself and to promote it to someone else that they should not smoke did not seem right, but as a nurse, professionally I know we have to do this, and I have to remember that it is the patient in the bed who needs to recover from surgery, not me. What sense I made of this. I brought this up with the nurse later on and asked if it wasn’t better for the patient to have some emotional relief from smoking while they were in hospital, rather than saying they can’t smoke and the patient becoming ‘stressed out’. The nurse said that I wasn’t understanding health promotion properly. She explained that if the patient chooses to smoke whilst in hospital it is up to them, but that she was concerned with the long term effects of smoking, so the nurse was thinking about him even when he would be discharged from our ward. I understood what the nurse was doing now and saw logic behind what she was saying the patient and explaining to myself. My understanding as to why smoking effects the bodies healing ability is due to a number of reasons. Smoking destroys the cilia in the throat which helps us fight infections and rids us of bacteria and micro-organisms (Layman 2004). Also when people smoke they intake carbon monoxide and other substances that obstruct and kill alveoli which passes oxygen into the blood (Norris and Siegfied 2012) and for tissue to heal it needs a good blood supply that is richly saturated with oxygen . We tried to explain this to the patient in a simple way so that there was not any medical jargon. What did I do The patient seemed to be up for the idea of stopping smoking but I had feeling it was a little bit of ‘lip service’ because he was being polite. We told the patient that there are numerous ways to help quit smoking. There was a smoking cessation nurse who would offer advice, tips, and plans to help to quit. We mentioned that there were numerous products help quit smoking such as chewing gum, patches, tablets and sprays. The patient asked about Electronic Cigarettes and I argued that it is a little healthier because all the toxins are not present that you would get in regular tobacco, but its not really an aid to quitting because there is still nicotine in the electric cigarettes and that is what we get addicted to. What could I of done During the time we were explaining to the patient about thinking to stop smoking there wasn’t much I feel I could have done or added to what the nurse was already saying. The nurse covered most of the routes that help and support could have been provided. Action Plan If I came across this again I would hope that I know enough now to explain to a patient why they should think about not smoking whilst in recovery and also keeping it going long term so that they can benefit from it after they are discharged. I could give them some leaflets and things and getting them in contact with the smoking cessation nurse. I could empathise why they are smoking whilst they are in hospital but maybe try and use a diversion tactic to try and get them avoiding smoking whilst they are in recovery on the ward.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Trends that older workers need to watch for in 2018

Trends that older workers need to watch for in 2018 Attention Baby Boomers- not all trends are created equal. Each year, we see a variety of new workplace trends take hold, which often vary by industry, geography, and even individual demographics. One of these factors is age- simply put, there are trends in the job world that affect older individuals differently, based on their level of experience, personal needs, comfort level in a rapidly changing work environment, and longevity in the job market. Older workers- specifically Baby Boomers (individuals born between 1946 and 1964), face some unique issues and challenges in the work world. This aging population possesses a wealth of work experience, knowledge, and expertise, but is growing older in a workplace that increasingly prizes youth and vitality, and many are approaching the age where retirement is a consideration. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, approximately 29% of the workforce in the United States- which represents approximately 45 million workers- is part o f the Baby Boomer generation. Although this number continues to shrink each year, it’s still a significant amount of people. Therefore, it’s worth taking a closer look at the trends these older folks can expect to encounter in the workplace in 2018.More flexible work arrangementsAlthough this may not seem like much of a departure from the norm for younger workers, older workers who are typically more used to the traditional Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 office arrangement may need some time to get used to the changing notion of what it means to be â€Å"at work.† Advances in technology have made it easier than ever before to work remotely and telecommute- and older workers will get the opportunity to take more advantage of the flexibility this allows.Baby Boomers who work in fields in which telecommuting is a viable option and possess the technical knowhow can expect to encounter more flexible work arrangements in 2018. This is often a good thing, allowing for a fast er, easier, and less expensive commute to the office- which might now just mean walking into one of the rooms in your house.Rise in contract employmentAnother trend in the workplace that may hit Baby Boomers harder than their younger counterparts is the change in how employers are hiring individuals to meet their needs. Many companies are embracing leaner approaches to work by using technology to get more work done with less people on their payrolls. Companies are also increasingly relying on unorthodox work arrangements, which means a shift from full-time employees and towards a greater reliance on contract, freelance, and part-time workers to get things done.Why is this especially concerning for Baby Boomers? These new workplace arrangements typically don’t include benefits like medical and dental insurance, which usually become more essential as workers get older, so workers are going to have to get creative and seek out alternative means for coverage. Another thing missin g from most forms of contract employment are retirement benefits, which will impact how workers prepare and save for retirement in the future.Delaying retirementSpeaking of retirement†¦a growing trend that many older workers are facing is the notion of having to delay exiting the workforce for as long as possible. According to a recent article by U.S. News World Report, this can be attributable to a wide range of factors, including older workers not having enough money saved, needing health insurance, desiring to stay active and productive, and simply enjoying working and passing on their knowledge and skills to a new generation of employees. Whether by choice or not, older workers who are looking to delay retirement are going to have to learn how to effectively navigate the changing landscape of the work world and plan for the future.These are the biggest trends older workers can expect to encounter in 2018. Those employees who will prove most successful in coping with a rapi dly evolving workplace will stay one step ahead of these trends and strategize accordingly.