Motivating Patients to Change Health Behavior: A Case Study of Harry

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Introduction:
To maintain a physical and mental well-being, it is vital for the individual to maintain a
healthy lifestyle which helps in preventing the risk factor to any illness (Hoeger et al., 2018).
Those individual who are at the higher risk of getting affected to any illness should change their
health behavior as soon as possible and in such case it is the responsibility of the nurse to educate
the patient regarding the adverse effect of the current daily regime and should encourage them to
change that (Urden, Stacy & Lough, 2017). Transtheoritical model of change is one among the
commonly used model in the healthcare setting by the nurses and the healthcare staff to motivate
the patient to change their health behavior (Prochaska, Redding & Evers, 2015). This essay
focusses on the case study of Harry, who is 58 year old man and works a chef. He loves food and
loves to be around food throughout the day. He had been admitted to hospital due to his hip
replacement surgery. Harry weighs 165 kg and is obese. The essay reflects the role of nurse in
motivating the patient via motivational interviewing to change his health behavior by focusing
on the transtheoritical model of change framework.
Discussion:
Prochaska and DiClemente developed transtheoritical model of change in the year 1970,
which aids the individual to change their health behavior for increased life expectancy rate and
health outcomes (Prochaska, Redding & Evers, 2015). The primary purpose of using the model
in the healthcare sector is to enhance the living standard of the patient. It consists of 5 stages
named as, Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action and Maintenance. Based on the
life style of an individual, he or she is placed in the different stages of the model (Ligmann-
Zielinska, Grady & McWhorter, 2016). As in the case of Harry, he is not willing to change his

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lifestyle and is quite happy with the way he is. Thus the living standard and health behavior of
Harry reflects the first stage of the model that is the Precontemplation stage. Harry was not
stressed about the harmful consequences of the obesity on his health and even ignores the
doctor's suggest regarding his health. Obesity is considered as one of the significant threat for a
wide numbers of chronic illnesses (Jung et al., 2015). According to the survey conducted by the
Australian Bureau of statistics, National Health Survey, 67% of the Australian populations are
suffering from obesity and the prevalence rate is increasing day by day, which is a vital concern
and needs to be addressed (Department of Health, 2019). As Harry is not at all stressed or
worried about the further consequences of his weight, he does not involve himself in any of the
approaches or strategies that will help him to lose weight. To do that, nurse should motivate and
encourage him to lose weight by the aid of transtheoritical model of change. The motivational
strategy used in this case to motivate the patient to modify their health behavior is motivational
interviewing, which is frequently used motivational tool to encourage the patient to adapt to
healthy lifestyle.
Motivational interviewing is referred as the client centered or patient centered approach
to motivate the patient through one to one communication between the patient and the health
care staff (Lundahl et al., 2019). Before conducting the motivational interviewing session, nurse
should collection the relevant information from the patient about his lifestyles, so that they can
motivate him accordingly. One of the best ways to collect such information from the patient is by
engaging in a therapeutic relationship with the patient, which is registered nursing standard 2
(Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2019). Nurse should use different communication
skill to engage in professional therapeutic association with the patient (MacLean, 2017).