Discussion Post: Patient Compliance & Patient Education
Compliance of a patient is one key to successful medication by therapists. Therefore, in a case like that of Alma, a healthcare professional has first to find a way to overcome the non-compliant nature of Alma so that the pelvic procedure will be carried out successfully. In helping to provide a solution to the non-compliant nature of Alma, the health care professional has first to focus on finding out the root cause of the behavior. In this case, the cause of the non-compliance might be illiteracy, or maybe economic hardships, or an array of other issues which are personal to the patient. Therefore, after getting causes of the root cause of the non-compliance, the real solution will be looking at patterns of care and utilization. By taking a care route, the health care professional will be able to solve the non-compliance problem of Alma. Some of the strategies to adopt for the health care professional for successful solvation of non-compliance will be maintaining their rationality, placing responsibility where it belongs, setting reasonable limits in addressing the problem, and not focusing more on the negative aspects.
In the case of Alma, patient education will have to come in. Patient education encompasses three aspects, which determine the approach one can take: the educator, the non-compliant patient, and the healthcare setting. For the educator, a high degree of familiarity with the case of the patient is needed. Familiarity, in this case, means that whatever might be meaningful to the patient regarding the diagnosis should be made known to them through appropriate methodologies. For the patient, for complete compliance, they should be convinced enough that the procedure of treatment that is set to them will help avoid the adverse condition they are facing. Regarding the healthcare setting, the educator should look for an appropriate environment that will enhance communication between the healthcare professional and the non-compliance professional.
Alma Faulkenberger is an 85-year-old female outpatient sitting in the waiting room awaiting an invasive pelvic procedure. The health care professional who will assist in her procedure enters the room and calls "Alma." There is no reply so the professional retreats to the work area. Fifteen minutes later the professional returns and calls "Alma Frankenberg." Still no reply, so he leaves again. Another 15 minutes pass and the professional approaches Alma and shouts in her ear, "Are you Alma Frankenberg?" She replies, "No I am not, and I am not deaf either, and when you get my name correct I will answer you."
Using the topic materials, develop a plan to help Alma be compliant with the procedure and post-treatment medication. Also, describe the approach you would take to patient education in this case.
The response must include a reference list. Using one-inch margins, double-space, Times New Roman 12 pnt font and APA style of writing and citations.