Understanding Illness and Hospitalization

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Questions and Answers

What characterizes chronic illness?

It includes intermittent periods of complete health.

It involves permanent changes due to irreversible alterations. (correct)

It is always accompanied by acute symptoms.

It requires only short-term care and no special education.

Which factor does NOT influence illness behaviour?

Age

Socioeconomic status

Religion

Genetic predisposition (correct)

In which stage of illness behaviour does a person typically first recognize symptoms?

Achieving recovery and rehabilitation

Medical care contact

Assuming a dependent role

Experiencing symptoms (correct)

Which statement best reflects the understanding of health and illness?

Health and illness perceptions vary by individual. Signup and view all the answers

What describes the actions of a person during the medical care contact stage of illness behaviour?

They are engaging in discussions with healthcare providers. Signup and view all the answers

Which role of the nurse involves coordinating the care provided by others?

Administrator or manager Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary concern for patients and families during admission to a healthcare setting?

Anxiety about the new environment Signup and view all the answers

To provide holistic care, what must nurses do during the admission process?

Establish an effective nurse-patient relationship Signup and view all the answers

What action should a nurse take to help reduce a patient's anxiety upon admission?

Communicate with the patient as an individual Signup and view all the answers

What role of nursing involves explaining the admission procedure to a patient?

Educator Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is NOT considered a reason for medication nonadherence?

Cultural beliefs Signup and view all the answers

What is a synonym for adherence in the context of health and treatment?

Conformance Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a human dimension affecting health and illness?

Mechanical Signup and view all the answers

Which factor can significantly influence a patient's adherence to a treatment plan?

Client motivation to become well Signup and view all the answers

What role does a nurse play in improving a client's adherence to a health regimen?

Establishing a therapeutic relationship Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a modifiable risk factor for illness?

Health habits Signup and view all the answers

The perception of which factor can lower a client’s willingness for lifestyle changes?

Severity of health problem Signup and view all the answers

Which is a characteristic NOT associated with self-concept?

Physical health Signup and view all the answers

Which client characteristic is least likely to predict adherence with a treatment program for HIV?

Gender Signup and view all the answers

What is the most reliable method to measure adherence to a prescribed medication regime?

Direct observation of medication administration Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following reactions is the least likely for a mother experiencing frequent immobilizing headaches?

She seeks more social interactions with her friends Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is NOT identified as affecting a person's health status?

Personality traits Signup and view all the answers

How may illness impact an individual's behavior?

Their usual pattern of behavior changes Signup and view all the answers

What is an emergent hospital admission?

An admission following a visit in the emergency department Signup and view all the answers

Which reaction is most likely for a person with chronic illness affecting their family?

Feelings of isolation from family activities Signup and view all the answers

Which is a characteristic of elective hospital admissions?

They require a doctor's reservation request for a bed Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between illness and disease?

Illness is a personal state that may not necessarily relate to discernible disease. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following most accurately describes a characteristic of acute illness?

It has a rapid onset and is of short duration. Signup and view all the answers

How can illness influence an individual's functioning?

It can alter emotional and social aspects as well. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'hospitalization' refer to?

The process involving patient admission, care, and discharge from a hospital. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors does NOT influence an individual's response to illness?

Genetic predisposition Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential behavioral change that can occur due to illness?

Diminished interest in activities previously enjoyed Signup and view all the answers

Which is true regarding the nature of illness?

It is highly subjective and varies from person to person. Signup and view all the answers

What are the implications of an individual feeling ill without having a discernible disease?

It highlights that illness can exist without disease. Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step in assessing healthcare needs for discharge planning?

Collecting and organizing patient data Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for discharge goals to be mutually agreed upon?

To prevent the discharge from failing Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key component of the teaching process for discharge planning?

Financial assistance options Signup and view all the answers

What must a patient do if they choose to leave against medical advice?

Sign a waiver releasing the physician from liability Signup and view all the answers

What factors should be included when assessing a patient's healthcare needs?

Family involvement and environmental conditions Signup and view all the answers

When educating a patient about medications, which aspect is important to cover?

Dosage, effects, purpose, and side effects Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is primarily evaluated to measure the effectiveness of discharge planning?

Recovery outcomes and readmission rates Signup and view all the answers

What must be documented during the teaching phase of discharge planning?

All teaching topics covered Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Illness and Hospitalization

Illness is a highly personal state where a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social, developmental, or spiritual functioning is diminished.
It is not synonymous with disease and may or may not be related to disease.
Illness is highly subjective.
A person can have a disease and not feel ill, or feel ill without a discernable disease.
Illness is the response of a person to a disease; an abnormal process where functioning changes compared to a previous level.
Illness behaviour is a coping mechanism, involving how individuals describe, monitor, interpret symptoms, take remedial actions, and use healthcare.
Illness behaviour is highly individualized and affected by variables like age, sex, occupation, socioeconomic status, religion, ethnic origin, psychological stability, personality, education, and coping methods.
Suchman (1979) identified stages of illness: experiencing symptoms, assuming the sick role, medical care contact, assuming a dependent role, and achieving recovery and rehabilitation.

Types of Illness

Acute Illness:
- Onset is rapid and lasts a short time.
- Symptoms appear abruptly and subside quickly.
- May or may not require medical professional intervention, depending on the cause.
Chronic Illness:
- Permanent change caused by irreversible alterations in normal anatomy and physiology.
- Requires special patient education for rehabilitation; long periods of care and support.
- Includes remission and exacerbation.

Disease

Disease is an alteration in body functions that causes a reduction of capacities or a shortening of the normal life span.
Multiple factors interact in causing a disease and its response to treatment in an individual.

Impact on the Individual

Illness affects many aspects of an individual's life, including privacy, autonomy, lifestyle, roles, finances, relationships, diet, activity, and sleep.
Impacts on the individual can include anxiety, fear, anger, withdrawal, denial, changes in self-concept and body image, and a sense of hopelessness.

Impact on the Family

The impact on the family depends on factors like the ill member, severity and duration of the illness, and cultural/social customs of the family.
Impacts can include role changes, task reassignments, increased stress due to anxiety, financial constraints, loneliness, and changes in social customs.
Potential challenges in coping can include maladaptive coping, excessive caregiving burden, and situational low self-esteem.

Coping Strategies

Strong support systems enhance resilience and coping strategies, easing burdens.
Spirituality and religious faith are mentioned as important coping mechanisms.
Coping with chronic medical illnesses involves the patient's baseline coping strategies, current illness burden, and availability of support mechanisms.
Coping is influenced by factors like non-adherence to treatment, denial of illness, substance abuse, and high use of healthcare.

Hospitalization

Hospitalization is the act of placing a person in a hospital as a patient; resulting in the condition of being hospitalized.
Admission (hospitalization for 24+ hours):
- Emergent: patient arrives at the emergency department, and is hospitalized.
- Elective: doctor requests the bed at a specific time.
Roles of the nurse (during and after admission):
- Assessment and monitoring of health status.
- Providing direct and coordinated care.
- Education to patients and family members
- Discharge planning

Important concepts in Healthcare

Entering and leaving a healthcare setting can produce anxiety for patients and family members.
Continuity of care and community-based care are essential concepts in nursing.
Admission involves an orientation phase for both the patient and the staff.
Establishing an effective relationship with the patient is crucial to providing effective care. Admission paperwork includes personal, medical, and familial information.
A nurse must know how to report patient care for transfers. Discharge includes establishing a plan with realistic goals to help patients return to their lives.

Common Activities for Admission

Identification bracelet: contains patient's name, ID number and doctor's name.
Initial interview by nurse, where legal/ethical issues are discussed.
Forms of consent to treatment
Advance directives/power of attorney are obtained.
Patient's next of kin's information is acquired.
Patient's bill of rights are explained.
Preparing the unit for admission involves adjusting the physical environment to suit patient comfort and access, assembling necessary tools for assessments/testing, opening the mattress, and making sure the bedding is clean and organized.

Adherence and Medication

Adherence is the extent to which a patient follows medical advice, like taking medications, following diets, or making lifestyle changes.
Factors influencing adherence include client motivation, lifestyle changes required, severity of illness, treatment efficacy/duration, cost of therapy, and cultural beliefs.
Nonadherence to medication can be impacted by past history with medications or procedures, taste and size of the medication, cost, the number of doses, forgetfulness, and perceived hopelessness from the treatment.

Factors Affecting Health and Illness

Basic human needs, human dimensions (physical, emotional, environmental, intellectual, spiritual, sociocultural) and self-concept influence health and illness.

Research

A link to a specific research article on coping with chronic illness is available.

References

Various individuals and organizations are credited for their research and publications regarding illness, hospitalization, and other subjects pertinent to the content.

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Description

Explore the complex nature of illness and its distinction from disease in this quiz. Learn about illness behavior and the various factors influencing how individuals experience and respond to illness. Test your knowledge on the stages of illness as identified by Suchman.