Nursing Case Study: Aboriginal Patient Care, Theories & Communication

This nursing assignment presents a case study of Raelene Ward, a 40-year-old Aboriginal woman diagnosed with gestational diabetes, highlighting disparities in her care compared to non-Aboriginal patients. The analysis applies person-centered care, the nursing code of ethics, national safety and quality health service standards, and Erikson’s 8-stage framework to evaluate the effectiveness of her treatment. The study identifies both effective and ineffective communication strategies used during Raelene's care, particularly concerning informed consent and culturally sensitive treatment. The application of the chosen theories and framework aims to improve the care process, emphasizing ethical compliance and patient involvement in decision-making. The assignment concludes by advocating for equality and quality in healthcare distribution to improve the well-being of all populations, especially Aboriginal communities.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
NURSIUNG ASSIGNMENT CASAE STUDY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
Aboriginal patients should be provided with equal treatment and care like other
communities as it is their fundamental right. This assignment will discuss the case scenario of
Raelene Ward, a 40-year-old aboriginal women who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and
was provided care in a healthcare facility, where she had to face several disparities compared to
other patients. Further, the theories, which will be used in this scenario, are person centered care,
code of ethics for nursing professionals, the national safety and quality health service and will
discuss the Erikson’s 8-stage framework (Sherwood, 2013). This assignment will discuss the
case of Raelene and will discuss the theories and frameworks, the communication scenario with
effective and ineffective care and application of the chosen theory on the case scenario and will
explain the partnering in care strategy in maintaining the patient experience with chosen case
scenario.
Identification of the relevant theories and framework/s
The relevant theories that could be applied in the case study of Raelene Ward are person
centered care and family centered care for the patient and ethical code of conducts for the
nursing professionals (Shields et al., 2012). As per the responses of Raelene Ward, after she was
diagnosed with gestational diabetes, healthcare professionals started proving her with insulin,
with any further testing or identification of other medication that can improve her condition.
Besides this, she was also not provided with informed care regarding the insulin as she was
associated with care profession (Kuo et al., 2012). This incident indicates towards the need of
person centered care as well as violation of nursing ethical codes hence, these theories will be
applied. Besides these, the Erikson’s 8 step model will be employed in this scenario which

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describes the factors such as trust against mistrust, autonomy against doubt, initiative against
guilt, identity against role confusion, inferiority against industry, generativity against stagnation,
intimacy against isolation and integrity against despair (Hudon et al., 2012). This framework was
applicable in the scenario as the care process of Raelene Ward had several loopholes related to
ethical and clinical aspect that created a conflict between the mentioned parameters mentioned in
the above-mentioned framework (Barry & Edgman-Levitan, 2012).
Analysis of the communication scenario
While analyzing the communicated scenario by the patient two aspect of healthcare
process could be identified such as effective care and ineffective care, both of which are positive
and negative aspects of patient care process (Kitson et al., 2013). Effective care is the scenario,
in which the healthcare professionals met the patient needs and provides the healthcare
professionals with proper educational and practical training so that while conducting the process
holistic care could be achieved (Eroju et al., 2013). On the other hand, ineffective care process is
associated with unmet patient needs, inefficient care professionals who are unable to improve
patient condition with their ineffective interventions. In this case, study of Raelene Ward, an
aboriginal woman, was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and due to which she had to be
admitted in the healthcare facility where she faced both effective and ineffective care (Tuffaha,
Gordon & Scuffham, 2014).
The care process is determined as ineffective care because being an aboriginal woman
and a nursing professional suffering from gestational diabetes, the patient was treated differently
from other patients in the healthcare facility (Lee, Tsao & Hsueh, 2013). The patient herself
accepted the fact that she was neither informed about her condition of ailment nor educated

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about the intervention that will be applied to control of diabetic state. Further, she was not even
trialed with diet interchange, physical activities to control her increased blood sugar, instead she
was directly provided with insulin injections to control her diabetic condition (Epstein et al.,
2012). Further, patient also accepted the fact that due to her association with nursing profession
she was not provided with enough knowledge about her treatment as the doctors were ascertain
about her knowledge of the care process. Therefore, the care process was ethically ineffective as
it is the primary duty of the healthcare professionals to conduct informed care while caring for
common or aboriginal patients (Downar et al., 2015).
On the other hand, the care process can also be determined as positive as interventions
that were applied by the doctors were effective in controlling patient’s diabetic condition. Eroju
et al. (2013) mentions that insulin boost is the only effective way to control gestational diabetes
if the \sugar level increases extremely. Patient accepted the fact that sugar testing revealed her
extreme blood sugar level and therefore, implementation of insulin injections was the effective
intervention for Raelene Ward. Another example can be derived from the case study as the
patient was weekly visited by dieticians, nutritionist so that her diet and nutritional intake could
be assessed (Kitson et al., 2013). Therefore, the healthcare facility provided the patient with a
holistic care approach so that effective care could be reinforced.
Application of the chosen theories and framework
The theories and framework chosen for this scenario has the ability to improve the care
process and reinforce effective care with cultural and ethical compliance (Kitson et al., 2013).
Patient centered care is the process in which, patient is treated as an important stakeholder of the
care process and is included in every important decision so that informed consent form the

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patient could be achieved (Hudon et al., 2012). It is an important aspect of effective care process.
Further, as the aboriginal community of the patient supported her during her stressful conditions,
few close member of that community should also be included in the care process so that family
centered care can also be achieved in the care process (Kuo et al., 2012). Each of the members
involved in the care process should be provided with their roles and responsibilities and should
provide the patient with informed care so that patient’s consent could be taken (Shields et al.,
2012). Besides this, implementation of Erikson’s 8-step framework is also beneficial in the care
process, as it will help the healthcare professional as well as the patient to differentiate between
all these situations. Further, they will be able to make changes in the care process so that all the
ethical aspects of the care process could be reinforced into the process (Barry & Edgman-
Levitan, 2012). Researchers has also suggested that application of Erikson’s 8-step model in the
care process for older and pregnant women helps the patient to understand the importance of self
management and understand the effects of physical and mental health changes (Hudon et al.,
2012). Further, it was also suggested that application of such model helps the healthcare
professionals with reasserted autonomy by initiating creative problem solving techniques that
makes their critical application ability sharp and effective (Kitson et al., 2013). Therefore, this
was the frameworks and theories should be applied in the care process for Raelene Ward.
Conclusion
Health is a most important basic need of human life and therefore it requires equality,
quality and proper distribution. It is important to equally dispense the healthcare related rights
among the entire population, as it will help in the wellbeing of the entire population. There is
several discrimination, disparities that have been witnessed in the healthcare related rights of
aboriginal people, and one such example was witnessed in the discussed case study. This case

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study mentions the intervention that had several effective and ineffective aspect of care for
Raelene Ward and therefore this assignment used patient centered and family centered care for
her treatment and Erikson’s 8-step framework that will help the treatment to improve ethically as
well as with healthcare intervention to improve her wellbeing.

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