End of Semester Reflection

Throughout the course of Adult Health IV, we have learned and gained so much knowledge on the aging older adult client and how it affects them in their everyday lives. As nurses, it is so important that we look at the developmental process of all humans and respect the rapidly changing and growing body. It is also important that we remember that we as human beings all live such wonderful and different lives, and that we should be respectful of one another’s choices that are made and understand that the wants and needs as we age don’t just go away. Nurses are advocates for their patients and can be a voice in times of despair and injustice. For the older population, we make strides in ensuring their respect and dignity is carried throughout the care provided all the way through. We have learned about what it means to perform holistic care, what types of care people may prefer as they age with advanced directives and decisions they make, how we can advocate and treat/prevent major complications by doing medication reconciliations, and how we can really advocate for the mental health, well being, and happiness of our patients. There is still so much life to be lived with the older patient, and they deserve to be treated as equals and with no disrespect or biases against them.

Thinking specifically about two insights I have taken away from this course, one would include the importance and advantage medication reconciliation and review has for the patient when they enter the health care setting. As we age, we may be seeing more and more types of doctors and physicians each year for different reasons, and different medications may be prescribed, which can cause a cascade of events or adverse reactions which isn’t great. We want our patients to be them best selves and as healthy/pain free as they can be. As nurses we can recognize when something seems off, or if a patient may be having this cascade of events/prescriptions, and make recommendations for the providers and the patient moving forward to promote the best possible health outcomes. We look at the possible drug interactions, side effects, adverse reactions, and how you may need other medications to treat the reactions and side effects of these medications. We as nurses can find these disconnections and help ensure the patient takes less or only takes what is needed moving forward.

Another takeaway would be the overall respect and care we as nurses need to remember to have for an older adult client. We also need to think about how we are treating the client and how it is THEIR CARE, not their family member/children’s. We must speak to the patient directly and give them the information first as well as respect their wishes before going to the family, unless the patient is deemed incompetent/forms are filled out appropriately. We also need to remember that these clients are just trying to live their lives as everyday humans with having friends, social and sexual interactions, being involved in their community, having a job, etcetera. We can provide individualized care and be a listening and supportive ear for our patients as they get through some challenges and struggles in their older years, and it is so important that we remember our core values of caring, respect, dignity, and autonomy.