Health, Wellness, and Determinants of Health
Health and wellness are very important and complex concepts in the nursing world since they can be interpreted differently and have different meanings to different people. Health and wellness are determined by social determinants of health and are in continuum with illness since they all link to ones overall well-being. It is very important for nurses to know the differences of health, wellness, and illness and also how they link together in order to be able to give individualized, competent, and holistic care to their patients. This paper will discuss my personal definitions of the key health concepts, the importance of providing holistic care to patients and their families, and how social dominants …show more content…
Holistic nurses encourage and support health and wellness as they promote their patient’s recovery. The Canadian Holistic Nurses Association (n.d) states, “We believe that a nursing conceptual framework based on unitary human science, human environmental essence field theory, and energy-based nursing practice is the foundation of holistic nursing practice.” When someone is ill it not only affects themselves, but also their family. The severity of the impact someone’s illness has on their family relies on three factors according to Kozier (2014 pg. 130), “the member of the family who is ill, the seriousness and length of the illness, and the cultural and social custom that the family follows.” An ill family member can cause lifestyle changes for everyone involved, stress, anxiety, fear, or sadness, financial issues, and marital or family issues/conflict. Conversely, families can affect illness by either easing or increasing anxiety and stress. Family health promotions can cause or influence illness, and a family’s genetics can also affect illness. It is important that holistic nursing includes individualized planning since the nurse must consider and support each patient’s experience of health, as well as their beliefs and values regarding health. Nurses must also consider the patient’s physiological, psychological, and …show more content…
When assessing a patient and/or their family, a nurse must ask questions to see how stress is negatively affecting their lives. Some examples of questions related to a patient’s stress levels include; asking what their employment is like, what coping mechanisms they use, if they smoke, and what support systems they have access too. While the patient is answering the questions it is the nurses responsibility to be closely paying attention to how the patient answers, especially with body movements and facial gestures. If the patient seems to be struggling with coming up with the answers to the questions perhaps the nurse can perform a stress test or can provide the patient with information about effective ways of coping with stress. The nurse can promote healthy living styles, self-awareness, and positive attitudes as well as teach the patient effective ways to cope with stress, such as using mini relaxations and teaching patients to recognize stress-warning signs. By assessing the patient and providing strategies related to health promotion, health protection, or disease, the nurse is caring for the patient in a holistic, individualized way. In Barrie there are many community services available for stress managing including a stress management group through the Barrie Community Family Health Team that
Health and wellness are very important and complex concepts in the nursing world since they can be interpreted differently and have different meanings to different people. Health and wellness are determined by social determinants of health and are in continuum with illness since they all link to ones overall well-being. It is very important for nurses to know the differences of health, wellness, and illness and also how they link together in order to be able to give individualized, competent, and holistic care to their patients. This paper will discuss my personal definitions of the key health concepts, the importance of providing holistic care to patients and their families, and how social dominants …show more content…
Holistic nurses encourage and support health and wellness as they promote their patient’s recovery. The Canadian Holistic Nurses Association (n.d) states, “We believe that a nursing conceptual framework based on unitary human science, human environmental essence field theory, and energy-based nursing practice is the foundation of holistic nursing practice.” When someone is ill it not only affects themselves, but also their family. The severity of the impact someone’s illness has on their family relies on three factors according to Kozier (2014 pg. 130), “the member of the family who is ill, the seriousness and length of the illness, and the cultural and social custom that the family follows.” An ill family member can cause lifestyle changes for everyone involved, stress, anxiety, fear, or sadness, financial issues, and marital or family issues/conflict. Conversely, families can affect illness by either easing or increasing anxiety and stress. Family health promotions can cause or influence illness, and a family’s genetics can also affect illness. It is important that holistic nursing includes individualized planning since the nurse must consider and support each patient’s experience of health, as well as their beliefs and values regarding health. Nurses must also consider the patient’s physiological, psychological, and …show more content…
When assessing a patient and/or their family, a nurse must ask questions to see how stress is negatively affecting their lives. Some examples of questions related to a patient’s stress levels include; asking what their employment is like, what coping mechanisms they use, if they smoke, and what support systems they have access too. While the patient is answering the questions it is the nurses responsibility to be closely paying attention to how the patient answers, especially with body movements and facial gestures. If the patient seems to be struggling with coming up with the answers to the questions perhaps the nurse can perform a stress test or can provide the patient with information about effective ways of coping with stress. The nurse can promote healthy living styles, self-awareness, and positive attitudes as well as teach the patient effective ways to cope with stress, such as using mini relaxations and teaching patients to recognize stress-warning signs. By assessing the patient and providing strategies related to health promotion, health protection, or disease, the nurse is caring for the patient in a holistic, individualized way. In Barrie there are many community services available for stress managing including a stress management group through the Barrie Community Family Health Team that