Nursing Care and Communication Failures: Mr. Roy Jacob's Case Study

This report examines the unexpected death of Mr. Roy Jacob at Cherbourg Hospital, attributing the cause to inefficient workforce, poor communication between nurses and doctors, and a lack of proper training. The literature review highlights the importance of effective training programs for healthcare practitioners to improve their skills, attitude, and knowledge, leading to better patient outcomes. The review also underscores the need for improved communication skills among healthcare professionals to enhance patient-practitioner relationships and ensure effective decision-making. The report recommends evidence-based planning, maintaining professional standards, and implementing effective training and development programs to prevent similar incidents. The conclusion emphasizes the impact of carelessness, lack of training, and poor communication on patient outcomes, and the importance of implementing the recommendations to improve patient care and prevent future fatalities. The report is supported by various books, journal articles, and online resources.

NURSING

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................3
RECOMMENDATION...................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Mr Roy Jacob was a 48 year old man who died unexpectedly at the Cherbourg hospital
recently. Roy was one of the 9 sibling and was the only son of Mrs Elizabeth Jacobs. Mrs Jacob
describes his son as well behaved, and always respectful to others. Roy Jacob had a fall after
consuming alcohol in high dose.
Roy was admitted to the Cherbourg hospital on 3 occasions after the fall which was on
consecutive dates which were 28, 29 and 30th August and was admitted to the hospital for the
treatment. Roy was unconscious, unresponsive and was not breathing at 5.08 am on 31 August
morning. Unfortunately, despite emergency and with all the possible efforts of doctor and nurses,
Roy died and was unable to revive. Roy's death was initially reported policing station as the
cause of the death was unknown and the doctor has published the death certificate attributing the
death due to fall because of consumption of alcohol. The Deputy registrar of the Coroners Court
of Queensland was concerned about the cause of death but the causes mentioned in the death
certificate were not logically applicable and hence Deputy registrar declined to accept the cause
of death certificate. The case finally after month of investigation concludes that the reason for
Mr Roy' death was inefficient workforce and lack of communication between the nurses and the
doctors as well and it is a pure case of carelessness.
LITERATURE REVIEW
According to (Urden, 2017), the death of Roy was a pure case of carelessness, Roy did
not died because of fall due to high consumption of alcohol but because of inefficient staff of
hospital. Mr Roy was admitted in the hospital for the treatment but the treatment given to Roy
was not up to the mark. The death was not intentional yet everyone is responsible because
carelessness I the profession of nursing is not forgivable and is against ethics and values. The
staff of the hospital did not communicated with each other else they would have saved the life of
Roy the another reason was the staff was not fully trained, even after being registered as nurse.
As per the views of (Cherry, 2016), to avoid this type of uncertainty in future the hospital
needs to work on training and development of nurses, practitioners and other routine care for
persons who re mentally depressed. Many nurses even after being registered does not know their
work as they lack training and practices which cause death of patients and reduces reputation of
the company and also decreases the trust level of patients in the doctors and nurses. The

Government has developed set of guidelines and regulations of training for clinical workforce as
they are the core of any hospital and if they are not strong enough, the treatment on patients
cannot work. The guidelines of government serves as the foundation for preventing diastases and
uncertain death and includes full range of primary care disciplines. The staff need to be fully
trained from giving anaesthesia to taking care of patient's reports and food. This will enable them
to work efficiently and will decrease the death rate of hospital.
According to (Needleman, 2016), the another reason which came out as the death of Mr
Roy was ineffective communication between the nurses and staff. Unless and until the doctors
and nurses do not communicate they cannot save lives. The nurses and practitioners lack
communication with patients which create atmosphere of burden for the patients and decrease
their will power which reduces their power to recover as well. The doctor and nurses need to
adopt therapeutic communication which can be defined as face to face interaction that deal with
emotional and physical aspect of the patient. It is very important for patients to feel comfortable
with the doctors and nurses that are treating them because until they are not comfortable they
cannot recover. Nurses need to use Therapeutic communication with patients to provide them
support and information about their recovery. The nurses need not just have to talk about their
medications ban operations but also need to give them proper care and emotional ability which
will increase their will to live in case the disease is really dangerous.
(Jeffreys, 2015.) stated that, caring is the most important aspect of nurse patient
relationship. Rather than taking it as a duty to take care of patient, the nurses need to take patient
as own family member which will help nurses in treating them effectively. From taking care of
food to medicines all need to be considered by the nurses. To improve interpersonal skills the
doctors and nurses need to respect each other from their culture respective so that it can create
cooperation and harmony between them. The hospital need to select a strategy that focuses on
training of nurses, practitioners to provide support to the organisation and to improve
communication between doctors and nurses. The changes need not be implement quickly as it
can create chaos but need to implement slowly by using time an resources in limit. The strategy
need to be implemented which can show patients outcomes and feedbacks.
As per the views of (Needleman, 2016), bad communication and lack of training can
affect quality of services offered by hospital, recovery of patient and sometimes even lead to
death of the patient. Sometimes as in the case of Mr Roy, it gets difficult to communicate with

the nurses and staff as the terms and processes done by them are unfamiliar to the patient and
they get confused and does not know whom to ask for help. Therefore, to avoid confusion the
doctors and staff need to keep communication with the patient so that the patient can know
whom to ask for what. Nurses assess the plan, policies and procedures of the treatment and
manage general health of the patient that is why they are need to be fully trained without any
loopholes. The hospital need to be honest with their patients and instead of making bills need to
consider the treatment of disease according to the priority of seriousness. The practitioners need
to take care of patient's diet, medical treatments like resuscitation, allergies and language in
which the patient understand s to avoid confusion and make the feel like home.
RECOMMENDATION Effective training and development programs: The health care practitioners must be
given effective training and development programs to effectively develop professional
skills, attitude and knowledge of the healthcare practitioners which leads to effective
results and outcomes of the patients (Coroners court of Queensland, 2019). Effective
training programs helps practitioners in straightening and building skills to perform
particular task effectively which helps in patient satisfaction and results in improved and
effective recovery of patients. In addition, healthcare practitioners must be provided with
comprehensive orientation program which helps in performing work with improved
efficiency and productivity which result in increased valued results and outcomes.
Implementing and incorporating effective training technology like just in time training
for effective and efficient results. Healthcare practitioner must be given online training to
effectively improve their skills and knowledge that helps them treat their patients
effectively (Papini, (2015)). Improve communication skills: Healthcare practitioners must improve their
communication skills to effectively transfer information from one person to another for
effective decision making which result in more improved results and outcomes. Good and
effective communication skills helps in building relationship between patients and
healthcare practitioners which leads to effective results and outcomes (How Effective
Communication Can Save Lives in the Healthcare Industry, 2016). Improved
communication helps improve overall satisfaction of patients. It also helps in solving
critical problem by effectively finding solution which results in long term effective

outcomes. Effective communication helps build confidence and patient loyalty towards
the healthcare workplace . Maintain professional standards: Healthcare practitioners must work in compliance with
various standards, laws and policies for to effectively take care of the health and safety
measures which results in higher operational efficiency and effective outcomes. Heath
care practitioners must also work in accordance with various ethics to provide high
quality care to its patients which results in effective results and outcomes.
 Evidence based planning: It helps in improving the treatment and outcomes of the
patients on the basis of the best available resources and evidence which leads to higher
results and outcomes with improved satisfactions of patients (Schmidt, & Brown,
(2017)). It also helps in effective decision making and adds value in improvement of
patients care and health effectively.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarized that, if adequate treatment was given to Mr
Roy then the conditions would have been different. The carelessness of hospital and staff
members which include nurses, practitioners, lack of proper training led to death of Mr Roy. This
study also includes recommendation which helps in effective results and outcomes of the
patients. Effective training and development helps in improving skills, attitude and knowledge of
healthcare practitioners. Effective communication helps in building relationship between patients
and doctors. Maintaining professional standards and working in compliance with health and
safety helps in higher results and outcomes. Evidence based planning helps in improving
decision making and leads to improved patient care.

REFERENCES
Books and journal
Cherry, B. & Jacob, S. R., (2016.) Contemporary nursing: Issues, trends, & management.
Elsevier Health Sciences.
Jeffreys, M. R., (2015). Teaching cultural competence in nursing and health care: Inquiry,
action, and innovation. Springer Publishing Company.
Kalhori, R. P., & et.al.,(2016). Different nursing care methods for prevention of keratopathy
among intensive care unit patients. Global journal of health science. 8(7). p.212.
Martsolf, G. R., & et.al., (2016). Innovative nursing care models and culture of health: Early
evidence. Nursing outlook. 64(4). pp.367-376.
Needleman, J., (2016). The Economic Case for Fundamental Nursing Care. Nursing Leadership
(Toronto, Ont.). 29(1). pp.26-36.
Papini, C. B. (2015). Effect of community-based physical exercise interventions carried out in
primary helath care on plasma inflammatory biomarkers and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Schmidt, N. A., & Brown, J. M. (2017). Evidence-based practice for nurses. Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
Urden, L. D., Stacy, K. M. & Lough, M. E., (2017). Critical care nursing: diagnosis and
management. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Online
Coroners court of Queensland. 2019. [Online]. Available through
<https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/544254/cif-jacobs-rr-
20171117.pdf>
How Effective Communication Can Save Lives in the Healthcare Industry. 2016. [ONLINE].
Available through:<http://climb.pcc.edu/blog/how-effective-communication-can-save-
lives-in-the-healthcare-industry>