Reflection on Clinical Practice: Medical and Strengths Models

This report reflects on clinical practice, comparing the medical and strengths-based approaches to healthcare. The medical model focuses on diagnosing and treating illnesses, while the strengths-based approach emphasizes patient well-being and support. The report highlights the importance of integrating both models for comprehensive patient care, as the medical model addresses biological aspects, and the strengths-based model provides emotional and social support. The report uses examples like cancer treatment to illustrate how these models complement each other, ensuring patients receive both medical treatment and the support they need for recovery. The references include works by Gottlieb (2012) and Rosenthal (2008) to support the discussion of the two healthcare approaches and their impact on patient outcomes.

Running Head: REFLECTION ON CLINICAL PRACTICE 1
Reflection on Clinical Practice
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REFLECTION ON MEDICAL PRACTICE 2
Healthcare is an important aspect of the human life and all the approaches are considered
crucial to help deliver the highest quality of service. Medical approach is the earliest form of
care whereby the medical professionals focus on the diagnosis and treatment of an illness
(Rosenthal, 2008). They look at any dysfunctions, defects and discomforts in a patient’s body
and examine the cause then later the possible cure. Strength-based on the other hand puts a
patient and their families on the lead while supporting their wellbeing (Gottlieb, 2012). In this
case, the nurses help a patient in dealing with their problems, relating to their families and
immediate environment and hence minimising defects. In this approach, the doctors and other
personnel look at the extents to which the patient can deal with their current situation and
help them do it better.
The strength-based approach does not replace medical approach but rather complement it in
the effort to give better healthcare services to the patients. While the medical model is
provides more physical and biological solutions, the prior gives emotional and social support
(Rosenthal, 2008). These two models must work together to guarantee for quality and
efficient health care services. If the medical approach is used alone, the patients might have a
hard time recovering since they are not getting the emotional support they require to get well
(Gottlieb, 2012). The strengths approach cannot also be used single alone as the biological
aspects of the diseases ought to be diagnosed to ensure for the most appropriate treatment.
For instance, a cancer patient requires visiting the hospital and getting the biological tests and
determining the damage to allow for the best recommendation of treatment, which fall under
the medical model (Rosenthal, 2008). After the treatment, the strength-based model then
follows whereby a medical practitioner spends time with the patient and the family to help
them deal with the problem and ensure for recovery (Gottlieb, 2012). These two models work
hand in hand in promoting the health of a patient and ensure for positive results.

REFLECTION ON MEDICAL PRACTICE 3
References
Gottlieb, L. N. (2012). Strengths-based nursing care: Health and healing for person and
family. Springer Publishing Company.
Rosenthal, T. C. (2008). The medical home: growing evidence to support a new approach to
primary care. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, , 21(5), 427-440.