Question

Read the reflection, then answer the questions that follow.

Put yourself in an older person’s shoes. Imagine you are carrying out an everyday activity such as reading, eating, or talking when a nurse informs you that you must come with them. Another person tells you they are about to push you, which they do. This person then instructs you to walk in a straight line. After that, you are expected to stand and then march with your eyes shut. At the completion of this activity, the person takes some notes. They then tell you to leave.

Question:

1. Describe two feelings an older person may feel if they are uncomfortable with the process of an assessment?

2. Why is it important to minimize an older person’s discomfort or anxiety during an assessment?

3. How would you minimize the discomfort of an older person when preparing for an assessment?

Answer 1

1. Describe two feelings an older person may feel if they are uncomfortable with the process of an assessment?

answer 1:

The two feelings an older person may feel if they are uncomfortable with the process of an assessment are as follows

a)if an elderly person is uncomfortable during the process of assessment ,He or she will have feelings of hostility, dislike and disregard,annoyance for the process of assessment and persons performing the assessment.He or she would try to avoid the assessment or perform them unwillingly. This results in his or her uncooperative demeanor during the assessment procedure,These feelings are due to the disrespect for his comfort status by the assessor.

b) if an elderly patient is in physical pain and discomfort when being assessed, he or she  will develop the feelings of Fear, anxiety and agony about the process of assessment.He or she will experience feelings of hurt and worry and will not be able to do the assessments with ease, This anxiety will interfere with  the assessment quality and the assessment results.He or she would also try to avoid future episodes of assessment.These feelings are due to the psychological stress experienced by the older person.

2. Why is it important to minimize an older person’s discomfort or anxiety during an assessment?

answer2:

Introduction:

The goal of any assessment is to obtain the subjective and the objective data that are required for establishing correct diagnosis for further planning and treatment.Hence the assessment must be achieved with the minimum errors and this is possible only if there is a comfortable patient with normal physiological status responding positively to the assessment process .

a)For achieving this goal,It is important to minimize an older person’s discomfort or anxiety during an assessment process in order to obtain his maximum co-operation and involvement in the assessment process.

b) Minimisation of both physical and psychological discomfort for the elderly patient undergoing assessment is important in order to complete the process uniterrupted and obtain correct results.

c) Discomfort and anxiety can cause sudden tremors, changes in heart rate and blood pressure of elderly patients, arrhythmias, imbalances and can affect the assessment results and increase risk of injury,. The physiological changes with anxiety and discomfort are maximal in the elderly population and can increase the risk of injury from stress.and hence must be minimized.

d)An attack of angina, a syncope ,an episode of accelerated or uncontrolled hypertension, faltered gait ,imbalance while walking  and fall can develop by severe anxiety causing the patient harm,hence patient discomfort and anxiety during the assessment process must be minimized.

3. How would you minimize the discomfort of an older person when preparing for an assessment?

answer3:

The ways to minimise the discomfort of an older person while preparing for an assessment are

1. focussing on respectful, friendly, caring and patient behaviour during interaction and holistic,patient centric approach with mental,emotional and psychological preparation of the patient for the process

2.Obtaining a complete patient history with reference to his chronic diseases and regular drug intake, his disabilities,the use of vision aids, hearing aids, walking aids, any major past surgical or medical procedures, any injuries or trauma in the past.

3.Enquiring and ascertaining whether patient has any contraindications for the assessment that he is being prepared for; by holistic consideration of his past and present medical and surgical history and disease conditions.

Patient must be provided complete privacy and respect during the conversation or interview involving sensitive personal details,sexual history, bladder and bowel habits,problem of incontinence.

3.Assessing for the history of chronic pain . Adequate pain relief must be planned before any invasive assessment such that the patient is not discomforted during the procedure.

4.Providing adequate rest in between the assessment to counter patient pain and fatigue, if there are a series of tests involved in the assessment tool.

5 Counselling of the patient. to provide  adequate information and knowledge regarding the nature of the assessment. The person handling the assessment must be very patient and slow in his explanation ,speak short sentences ,speak clearly and ensure understanding from the older person at every step in his explanation.These measures allay anxiety involved with the assessment process,

6.Involvement of a family member or a loved one during the assessment process will allay anxiety and fears for the older  patient.Use of an interpretator must be done in language barriers.

7.Adequate counselling and connecting to the patient prior to the assessment will help in obtaining maximum comfort of the patient and benefits by enhancing his or her cooperation and improving the quality of results of the assessments.