Assignment task: Description:
The patient is an elderly male who lives alone. He was admitted to the hospital after a fall. He awoke at night to prepare tea and fell injuring his right hip. He was unable to get up and remained on the floor for hours before being found by his daughter. He developed a pressure sore on his sacrum. He has been diagnosed with cognitive impairment (early dementia), mobility and nutritional issues (recent weight loss). Although he is improving, his strength and energy have not returned to baseline. During his time in the hospital, he has been having difficulty expressing his needs. He becomes increasingly agitated when attempting to communicate his needs. The family expressed concerns about his ability to function at home independently although he insists on being discharged to his house. In preparation for discharge, an Interprofessional Education (IPE) and patient/family meeting has been arranged.
Reflective Questions:
Q1. How was the patient's or caregiver's perspective integrated into the care plan?
Q2. How did the team/individual professionals demonstrate a client-centered approach?
Q3. Did you have any insights into the role of the patient on the health care team?
Q4. Did you notice any hierarchy/power imbalance between the professional and patient/family member? Is this consistent with what you have experienced during your clinical placements?
Q5. How could professional/personal bias play a role in care? Relationship building? Decision making?
Q6. What did you notice about communication between the team members?
Q7. What was the impact of communication when supporting patients/families/ caregivers?
Q8. Did you notice any professional jargon or acronyms? What is the impact of profession specific language on collaboration? What is the impact of medical jargon on patient care?
Q9. Were there any disciplines missing? Which disciplines were included that surprised you?
Q10. We can learn a lot about how other professions approach tasks we all share. What did you notice about discipline assessment? interventions? role?