Reflection on Illness, Death, and Hospitalization: Perspectives of Patients, Families, and Doctors

A reflection on the experience of illness, death, and hospitalization from the perspectives of patients, families, and doctors. The essay discusses the importance of good communication, accountability, and avoiding presumptions in healthcare. It emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to listen to patients and their families and consider their concerns.

Running head: NURSING 1
Nursing
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

NURSING 2
Nursing
Introduction
A reflection is a consideration or serious thought about something. This essay reflects on
the experience of illness, death and hospitalization from a perspective of the patient, family and
doctor. The paper employs the five R’s framework (Bain, Ballantyne, Mills and Lester, 2002).
Reporting
The patient had horrible dermatitis on the hands. He kept being given creams to put on
the hand. However, dermatitis never went away making her suffer for months. The patient
struggled with the condition and decided to find a solution by herself. The patient hopped on
google which suggested giving up milk or lactose. The patient implemented the suggestion
which cleared his hands in less than two weeks. The patient terms the event to be a coincidence.
The patient goes ahead to tell us that food allergies and intolerances are not popular (Bray,
2017). So the doctors should not limit themselves on curing a particular symptom but get a
proper understanding of the condition.
The second article talks about doctor’s experience. The doctor had a patient named Albeit
(All healthcare, 2018). The patient was lethargic throughout the care duration. However, after a
certain period, the doctor asked the patient if she would give her a smile which she did. The
doctor tells us that the patient knew that she was enjoying taking care of him. The smile heart
warmed the doctor. It was an indication of satisfaction.
The third story brings forth a reflection from a family perspective. The video presents
Donna who talks about her son. Vance was admitted in the surgical unit after having an accident
(Canadian Safety Institute, 2011). She kept raising concerns regarding the condition of her son to

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the staffs but the professionals failed to listen to her on a presumption that the boy will be okay.
Finally, the surgery went successfully but the boy was declared brain dead.
Responding
Upon reading the patient’s perspective, I felt sad about the entire story. It is also irrational
and unprofessional to learn that the patient is the one advising the doctors on the condition rather
than doctors advising patients on the next step to undertake. This scenario reveals the ignorance
among the nursing professionals and its impact on the wellbeing of the patients. However, the
patient's action to research on his condition brought a different perception regarding illness. I am
much happy about the doctor’s experience in the second story. It shows that patients satisfactory
is achieved through accountability of the health professionals. I am very sad about the events
within the third story. It is uncouth and unprofessional to work under presumptions.
Relating
This stories reminded me about my own experience as a clinical nurse in a surgical ward.
I worked with a doctor who ignored a patient complaining of musculoskeletal pain and gave her
pain-killers to control the symptom. However, a few days later, it was found that the patient had
a fracture in the leg. However, the condition was now beyond control leading to death in the
following week. Reading the patients and family experience has given me an understanding that
ignorance and presumptions among the doctors can lead to suffering and death of the patients.
However, the doctors experience has emphasized on the importance of accountability in
promoting patient’s satisfaction.
Reasoning
Different pieces of literature reveal that good communication between doctors, families
and patients improve patient outcomes, give the families and patients a feeling of safety and

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promote satisfactory (Kourkouta and Papathanasiou, 2014). Good communication among the
nurses has also been emphasized by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia [NMBA]
(2016). It is significant for the doctors and other health professional to consider the voice
concerns of the patients and their family members. Research reveals that voice concerns within
an intensive care unit are not easy for both patients and their families due to the harsh physical
conditions in the ICU. Furthermore, the ICU encompasses involvement of a huge number of
health professionals which initiates a state of complexity (Adams, Mannix and Harrington,
2017). Therefore, the nurses, doctors and other health professionals have a fundamental role to
identify the challenges facing communication with families and the patients (Kee, Khoo, Lim, &
Koh, 2018).
Reconstructing
The cases discussed above have enabled me to understand the meaning of death, illness
and hospitalization. It has come to my notice that hospitalization is not only the responsibility of
the doctor but also the efforts of the patient. Furthermore, most of the deaths that arise across the
globe arise from the presumptions and ignorance of the doctors and other medical professionals.
This cases are relevant and applicable in future as a nursing professional. Firstly, I have realized
being a nurse, or a health professional doesn't mean am conversant with all the illness and
abnormalities. Also, the fundamental guide in dealing with illness circumnavigates intensive
research. I should make sure I have explored all the necessary sources of information regarding a
particular illness before executing a particular solution. It is also vital to consider the concerns of
the patients and take them seriously rather than operating under presumptions. As a nursing
professional, I will work with all the seriousness deserved to avoid unnecessary deaths arising
from ignorance.

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References
Adams, A., Mannix, T. and Harrington, A. (2017), Nurses' communication with families in the
intensive care unit – a literature review. Nursing in Critical Care, 22: 70-80.
doi:10.1111/nicc.12141
Bain, J.D., Ballantyne, R., Mills, C. & Lester, N.C. (2002). Reflecting on practice: Student
teachers' perspectives, Post Pressed: Flaxton, Qld
Kourkouta, L., & Papathanasiou, I. V. (2014). Communication in Nursing Practice. Materia
Socio-Medica, 26(1), 65–67. http://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2014.26.65-67
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2016). Registered nurse standards for
practice. Retrieved from http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-
Statements/Professional-standards/registered-nurse-standards-for-practice.aspx
Bray, K. (2017). Doctor-patient relationships [online]. Retrieved from:
https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/health-practitioners/doctors/articles/doctor-
patient-relationships
Kee, J. W., Khoo, H. S., Lim, I., & Koh, M. Y. (2018). Communication skills in patient-doctor
interactions: learning from patient complaints. Health Professions Education, 4(2), 97-
106.
All healthcare (2018). Starting to actually like nursing [online]. Retrieved from:
http://allhealthcare.monster.com/benefits/articles/3975-10-inspiring-stories-from-health-care-
professionals?page=3