Chronic Illness: Nurses' Role in Prevention and Patient-Centered Care

Running head: Chronic illness
Chronic illness
2018

Chronic illness
Introduction
Patient-centered care is extremely accepted and practices that outline quality care. The
main motive of this essay is to outline that how nurses play a major and fundamental role to
prevent chronic disease cancer and how they play a vital role in patient-centered care. The
manner in which nurses are preparing and working towards patient long-term self-management
has been explained in the task. Further, nurses need to expand the patient’s competence together
with empowering them; an empowered patient is in a better position and is willing to alter their
health behavior which is imperative to self-management and improvement. An examination of
chronic illness that cause of fatal burda en and some other diseases have been shown in the task.
It explains that how nurses make innovative and unique strategies, and policies to prevent illness
and to promote self-management globally.
Chronic illness
A chronic condition is a human health disease or condition that is persistent or long-
lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. Common chronic diseases include cancer,
chronic, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, viral diseases, and diabetes. Chronic
illness is a situation that can be controlled with treatment for months (MaCormack & McCance,
2016). Many chronic conditions occur around the life cycle, although they become more
prevalent with older age and may compromise the quality of life and generate disability and
limitations. According to a national health survey, 1 in every 2 Australians (50%) are suffered
from a chronic illness (back pain, asthma, arthritis, diabetes, and cancer) in the global market.
Chronic illness is responsible for across three-quarters of the total non-fatal burden of illness in
Australia in 2011. Chronic diseases occur due to various causes including high body mass,
alcohol use, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and high blood pressure. It is noted that chronic
illness and disease is accountable for approx 9 in every 10 deaths in the country in 2015. Along
with this, cardiovascular, lung cancer, dementia and respiratory diseases such as chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the most general reasons, being liable for deaths in
Australia (Bolster & Manias, 2010).
Smith (2015) stated that a wide range of elements affects the well-being, safety, and
health of the Australians. These elements are aspects, exposures, and attributes that maximize the
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Chronic illness
likelihood of an individual developing an illness or health disorder. The behavioral risks factors
affect the well-being and health of people in Australia. The behavioral risks factors include poor
diet, nutrition, smoking, physical inactivity, harmful consumption of alcohol and cognitive
inactivity. The biomedical risk is also associated with chronic illness because these factors
contribute to the development of a chronic situation (Ekman, Swedberg, Taft, Lindseth, Norberg,
Brink & Lidén, 2011). The example of biomedical risk includes high blood cholesterol, obesity,
high blood pressure, stress, mental illness, and communicable disease. It is further noted that
people cannot control the economic and social determinants that may affect the lives of people
(McCormack & McCance, 2016). The social factors include education, culture, values, customs,
beliefs and employment status. It is analyzed that chronic illness is conquered by injury
situations and mental disorders. Although, the leading causes are similar for women and men but
the condition is quite different. It is investigated that illicit drugs and alcohol are collectively
liable for 6.7% of Australia’s disease burden in 2011 (Australia Institute of health and welfare,
2018). It is investigated by Whitehead (2009), patient or person-centered care is highly and
immensely accepted as the practice or philosophy that outlines quality care.
Lung cancer
The Lung cancer is a chronic disease that begins and affects the lungs, which are two
spongy organs in the chest, used for breathing by taking in and oxygen and exhaling carbon
dioxide. In the US and Australia, lung cancer is becoming a principal cause of death, it is gender
unbiased and affects both men and women at large. Lung cancer has been chosen for the study
for the fact that this disease alone takes more life than combined patient’s death from ovarian,
prostate, colon and breast cancer. It is irrespective of the fact that people smoke, it can be seen in
those who have never smoked. However, the chances of getting affected increase for those who
smoke, and the chances are proportional to the number of cigarettes. Discontinuing smoking can
prevent or reduce the chances (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2015).
There are major symptoms which can help the person affected and the doctors in the
prima facie identification of the disease. However, these symptoms are usually seen after the
disease is advanced Ekman, Swedberg, Taft, Lindseth, Norberg, Brink & Lidén, 2011). These
symptoms further have major impacts on the health of the person, both mentally and physically.
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Chronic illness
A resistant cough, which is difficult to cure through cough syrups or medicines
Blood during a cough
Breath shortness
Pain in chest
Weight loss without any effort
Pain in bones
Headache
These symptoms have major impacts on the patient’s day to day life, such as
Breath Shortness: Cancer in lungs blocks the airways, which makes it difficult for the lungs to
inhale and exhale the air; the patient feels heaviness and pain while taking a breath.
Blood during a cough: It causes bleeding when a patient coughs, this is due to the bleeding in the
airways, and however, there are treatments to control this bleeding.
Pain in the chest: when the cancer cells spread in the body and towards the bones, it causes pain
in bones.
Fluid in Chest: cancer causes the fluid to build up and accumulate in the parts affected in the
chest cavity. This is another major reason for pain and heaviness in the chest (Ekman, Swedberg,
Taft, Lindseth, Norberg, Brink & Lidén, 2011).
Metastasis: It is the medical term which means spread of cancer in other parts of the body such
as bones and brain. This spread causes constant nausea, headache. There are other symptoms
depending upon which organ or area is affected by the cancer cells.
Treatment at this stage becomes difficult that is why the role of nurses becomes important to
prevent further situations such as depression and stress. The preventive measures and treatment
at this stage help the patient to improve their confidence and self-management and also helps live
a little longer.
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