Question

Your client is a 94-year-old osteoarthritic female who has been receiving home visits from another colleague for the past five years. Before you have a chance to plan your first scheduled appointment, the client’s daughter calls to tell you that the client has broken her arm and was transferred to a local hospital that morning. She asks if you could attend at the hospital to undertake a needs assessment prior to her being discharged. How would you find out why the client was receiving home visits for the past five years? (25–75 words) How would you clarify the purpose of your visit to the hospital if the client was not expecting you? (25–75 words) How might the accident be considered in terms of the purpose of your visit to the hospital? (50–75 words) How would you ensure the client adequately understood the purpose of your visit? (30 words)

Answer 1

1. In order to find out why the client was receiving a home visit since 5 years then you can ask a detailed history of the client from her daughter. That is called the history collection.

• From the history you will get an idea that as the client is a 94 year old female and is suffering from osteoarthritis, she might be bedridden. This might be the reason for choosing the home visit.

2. As the client was not expecting you to visit her, you must have to gain her cooperation first. So you have to explain everything about yourself by introducing yourself and what all are your qualification and how you can help her during your home visit.

• You must explain that how you came to know that she was hospitalized due to a broken arm and her daughter informed you immediately and this was the reason you rushed to the hospital to visit her before her discharge.

3. This accident may be occurred due to negligence from the family members as they might have not be with her when she actually needed a help.

• Patients with osteoarthritis definitely have pain in their arms and legs. So when she called for a help to move there might be no one to help her at that time which might have caused this broken arm when she tried to move without help.
• So if you were with the client then this could have never happen and in the future as you will be there with the client in the hospital then further falls can be prevented as you will be there with the client.

4. In order to ensure the client adequately understood the purpose of your visit then the client will show good cooperation with you for whatever you asks her.

• Client will be well satisfied with your presence in the hospital and will maintain good interpersonal relationship (IPR) with you.

Note: osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease which cause severe joint pain and if it is affected for geriatric people then they need assistance in doing their overall activities of daily living. So as a nurse you should do regular home visit in these type of clients.