Risk Management and Rehabilitation

Definition of rehabilitation 

Rehabilitation is a concept, which is used to refer to the treatment efforts to help individuals to recover from diseases and injuries. Some of the conditions that require rehabilitation include cancer, arthritis, stroke, cardiac disease, and traumatic brain injuries among others. Individuals who have suffered from such conditions are usually not in a position to accomplish their usual tasks since the illnesses and injuries may have interfered with their abilities. However, these individuals can be treated and offered emotional and social support so that they can gain normalcy. Of importance is the fact that rehabilitation procedures help individuals to compensate for the deficits brought about by the disabling conditions.

Provide examples of 5 injuries that would typically require rehabilitation 

There are various examples of injuries, which would require rehabilitation. Some of those injuries include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic injuries, shoulder dislocation, tendonitis, and hand injuries among others.

Common Rehabilitation techniques 

There are several rehabilitation techniques which are used to rehabilitate individuals with the aforementioned injuries. The most common techniques include locomotor training which is applied to individuals with various injuries. This rehabilitative technique is used as it helps individuals to learn how to walk. The rehabilitative team may also use electrical stimulation for strengthening the patient's muscles. Furthermore, the rehabilitation teams may use occupational and physical therapy techniques to help the patients cope with the reality of the injuries. Occupational and physical therapies are used together as they are complementary helping the patients reach their optimum capabilities. Moreover, the physicians may use joint mobilization techniques, muscle stretching, neurodynamic and massage (Miller). All of these techniques are used to strengthen the joints, muscles, and tendons to enhance the recovery process. As a result, the patients are able to be independent to a certain degree thus achieving the objectives of the rehabilitative process.

Gina, an 85-year-old widow, is admitted to the ward following a stroke. She presents with swallowing difficulties, left hemiplegia and is incontinent of urine. 

Which members of the multidisciplinary team will Gina be referred to? Outline the roles of each of the members. 

Gina will require the services of a multidisciplinary team so that she could get rehabilitative services to help her go back to normalcy. The first specialist that Gina will require is a psychotherapist owing to the fact that she has left hemiplegia. The psychotherapist will help Gina recover the functions of her left side including the leg and the arm. Moreover, the psychotherapist will help Gina to be relieved of pain and improve the strength and functionalities of the affected muscles. The physiotherapist will provide Gina with exercise equipment, which will help Gina move around with ease. Gina will require an occupational therapist who will help Gina to become as independent as possible considering that she is now incontinent with urine retention. In this case, Gina will require a modification of her home environment so that she can cope with the new situation of having to use the bathroom regularly. Gina will also require the services of a dietician owing to the fact that she experiences difficulties hen swallowing. A dietician will recommend the right foods, which will ease the swallowing problem. Of importance is the fact that Gina will require the services of a rehabilitation nurse who will be assessing and monitoring her progress. Finally, Gina will require the services of a psychologist who will help her deal with the reality that her life has taken a different turn owing to the effects of the stroke. All of these rehabilitative specialists must work in unison to ensure that their efforts help Gina to achieve normalcy and be more independent.

Assessment 3 

Define community nursing 

Community nursing refers to the deliberate and organized healthcare activities and processes aimed at improving the health outcomes of communities. Nursing professionals understand that not all individuals will come to healthcare institutions due to several factors. As such the medical professionals take the medical services to individuals in the local communities. Community nursing includes outreach and follows up programs which are aimed at ensuring that patients are taken care of even after being discharged. Some of the healthcare programs for communities include primary care, palliative care, sexual and reproductive health, dental health, home-based nursing among others.

Describe the role of the community nurse 

The community nurse is at the center of community nursing and takes up several roles to enhance the overall health outcomes of communities. First, the community nurse assesses the health needs of communities to determine whether there are health gaps that need to be addressed. In this case, the community nurse establishes the number of individuals who require medical attention, their demographics, as well as the logistics to ensure that these individuals’ health needs are met. From here the community nurse plays the role of a facilitator by linking the communities with the health providers’ teams. Moreover, the community nurses are at the forefront while it comes to educating the communities on both the preventive and curative measures while dealing with illnesses and injuries. Here, the community nurses organize educational materials and schedules training sessions in schools, community halls, and other public gatherings. Furthermore, the community nurses follow up on the progress of the community health programs by writing progress reports and recommendations, it should be noted that the community nurses ar eat the center of community health and any healthcare decisions and outcome is related to them.

What is primary health care? 

Primary healthcare, which is part of health promotion campaigns and process, is concerned with disease prevention, health promotion, and involvement of the community in healthcare decisions and processes. The main characteristic of primary healthcare is the fact that it is highly professional as well as being intensely personal. Following such professionalism clients are entitled to effective and safe clinical practices, appropriate and accessible healthcare services moreover, clients are sure that they will not be subjected to discrimination or deprivation owing to their ethnicity, gender or disability. Of importance, is the fact that the clients are assured of assessing and choosing from a wide range if treatment option to meet their health needs. The scope of primary health care includes setting up health promotion programs which meet specific community healthcare needs. Furthermore, primary health care emphasizes conducting educational campaigns to increase the community’s awareness of healthcare goals and objectives.

Why should you not make assumptions about patients’ levels of understanding? 

Healthcare providers are cautioned against making assumptions about patients level of understanding as this may come in the way of providing health care services. Instead, healthcare providers should establish the patients level of understanding by allowing the patients to provide their personal information. From here the healthcare providers can determine the kind of clients he or she is dealing with. In this case, the healthcare provider will give instructions that match a clients level of understanding.

Assessment of my local community health center, or local council 

The National Health Services (NHS) provides various community healthcare services for UK citizens. Some of the services offered at my local community health center include mental health services, speech, and language therapy, wheelchair services, smoking cessation, sexual and reproductive health services, and dental services among others. The resident nurses undertake most of these services who coordinate with various specialists to enhance the health outcomes of the community members. My municipality has around 2000 community health workers who report to the municipals health board every two weeks. What my municipality does is not unique as this is what all municipalities in the UK do since community health promotion is a national agenda. The government emphasizes the need to ensure that all UK citizens get access to quality and affordable healthcare needs even if they cannot afford the treatment costs.

Assessment 4 

Community support services help patients to make the best out of treatment and rehabilitative processes.

List 4 community support services found in your local community and the services they provide to the community 

The United Kingdom just like other nations has several community support services which help the patients to survive their negative effects of illnesses and injuries. Some of these support services include,

Warwickshire Housing Related Support 

This community support service was established with the sole purpose of helping individuals with mental illnesses to cope with the negative impact of these conditions. For one Warwickshire hosing offers community support for the family and friends of individuals with mental illnesses so that they can help the patients better. Here the families and friends are equipped with the right skills and knowledge to reduce the negative impacts of mental illnesses. Moreover, the community support service offers house related support where patients are hosted and taught how to deal with mental illnesses. Finally, this community support service offers peer support where mental illness patients are brought together to share their individual experiences. This then marks the beginning of the healing process for these individuals (Warwickshire Housing Related Support).

Mind 

The Mind is a UK charity organization which offers support to mental health patients. Mind achieves the objectives through the use of Community mental health teams (CMHTs) which support mental; health patients and their caregivers. These teams include a psychologist, a counselor, an occupational therapist, a social worker, a community support worker, and a community psychiatric nurse (CPN). The team appoints one member to be a personal care coordinator to monitor the patient's progress. Thes charity also engages in social or community care, which accords the patients care and support so that they can carry out the difficult day-to-day tasks. Moreover, Mind offers residential care to those patients who are not able to cope in their own homes. Such patients can be placed in hostels or residential care homes until they are well, enough to go back to their own homes (Mind).

Mungo Foundation 

The Mungo Foundation is a community support services program, which offers opportunities for people with these disabilities. This foundation allows such individuals to come together where they enjoy learning and development activities to enhance their lives. This foundation taps into community resources in enhancing their client's experiences since they are a part of their local communities. Moreover, this foundation act as a referral since the local authority refers to adults with disabilities to this facility to develop an independent living. The skills that the disabled people acquire courtesy of this foundation reduce their reliance on their families and government as they become self-reliant (The Mungo Foundation).

Avenues Trust Group 

This group offers community support services to children, young people and adults with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and sensory impairments. The support services offered by this organization include leisure activities, outreach, and work practices. These services are aimed at ensuring that these individuals live their lives the way they would wish to. The work-based opportunities are integral to this organization as it establishes that their clients can be productive in their homes and communities. Of importance is the need to help these clients to live independent lives without having to rely on their families or the government for sustenance (Avenues Trust Group).

Assessment 5 

Explain what the integumentary system is 

The integumentary system, which refers to the skin, is comprised of both the living and non-living tissue, which forms the body’s outer covering. This system has two main layers the epidermis, which is the outer layer, and the dermis, which is the true or inner skin. In addition to these two layers, the integumentary system includes sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and hair. The dermis contains blood vessels and nerve fiber endings, which help in protecting the skin from extreme temperatures and conditions. In general, the skin has several roles such as excretion of sweat, sensory functions, protective functions, and maintenance of body temperature.

Explain the type of muscles 

Muscles are important bodily components, which help in locomotion as they help to pull across joints. There are several types of muscles as follows: striated muscles, which are also known as voluntary or skeletal muscles, contract to enhance movement. Examples of striated muscles include biceps, deltoid, and latissimus. Smooth muscles, which are, also known as the plain muscles are found in the internal organs and blood vessels. These muscles are involuntary and they aid in circulation and digestion. Cardiac or heart muscles are located in the myocardium and they contract rhythmically.

What is lymph? 

Lymph which is composed of cells and lymphocytes is similar to plasma in terms of composition to plasma contains less protein than plasma. Lymph, which is part of the lymphatic system, is related to the cardiovascular system in terms of its functionalities. Essentially, the lymph fluid originates from the blood and follows the same course as the blood throughout the body. The main role of the lymph is the filtration of foreign particles and bacteria the body to increase the body's’ immunity levels. However, the same lymph can be a channel through which bacteria and cancer cells spread especially if the lymph is infected.

What is the respiratory system? 

The respiratory system refers to the bodily system, which allows oxygen to move into the body while allowing for the expulsion of carbon dioxide from the body. This system ensures that the blood is oxygenated continually. The function of the respiratory system is to maintain adequate oxygenation of the blood through the processes of exhalation and inhalation. The main components of the respiratory system include the mouth, nose, lungs, diaphragm, chest cavity, trachea, blood vessels, larynx, bronchi, and alveoli. The mouth and the nose act as the inlets and outlets while the alveoli enhance the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide in and out of the body.

Gastrointestinal System 

The gastrointestinal system refers to the bodily system, which is involved in the digestion and absorption of foods. The alimentary canal, which is the main component of this system, allows the food substances to pass through from the mouth where the digestion starts. From the mouth, the food moves through the throat to the esophagus and finally into the stomach. Once in the stomach, food substances encounter digestive enzymes and juices. From here, the food substances move to the small intestine for absorption and distribution to the rest of the food. The unabsorbed food moves to the large intestine where it is removed through the rectum.

Explain the significance of the nervous system 

The nervous system is an integral component as it is where the brain and the spinal cord are located. The central nervous system controls the reception and interpretation of all bodily messages coming from the environment. The sensory nerves, which are located in the nervous system, help in coordinating bodily movement and balance. Essentially, the nervous system coordinates all the bodily functions meaning that its paralysis would mean the paralysis of the entire body.

Assessment 6 

Explain why thoroughness, working within a time limit, and privacy is important in a medical organization 

Medical organizations deal with diverse patients with varied medical needs and demographics, which then require these organizations to adopt best practices. The best practices are aimed at ensuring that these organizations are effective, efficient and that they offer high-quality medical services. Essentially, medical organizations should exercise thoroughness, work within a time limit, and enhance patients’ privacy at all medical levels. Thoroughness means that the medical team should ensure that they address all the patients’ needs exhaustively. A failure to address one aspect of a patient's health may have disastrous effects on the patients’ wellbeing. This thoroughness should be exercised right from the moment the patient steps into the facility up until the patient is discharged. In some instances, medical organizations are forced to conduct follow-up programs to enhance the thoroughness of the medical process.

Medical organizations deal with numerous patient who presents different medical issues and needs. The media organization should work within a time limit to ensure that all of its patients are attended to effectively. The time frames spent at each point of the medical process should be outlined clearly. For example, the radiology team may be given 30 minutes in which to conduct radiology tests and send the results to the concerned departments. Sticking to the outlined time limits reduces time wastage, which affects the quality of medical services offered to the patients.

Privacy is a delicate issue especially in medical organizations considering that some patients present some private medical issues. A failure to protect patients’ information could lead to damaging and costly lawsuits for medical organizations. As such medical organization should adopt effective systems which help in protecting the patient's information from unethical retrieval and dissemination. The patients should have the final word on who should access their medical information and at what point.

Describe three different systems for filing patient records 

Medical organizations use various systems for filing their patient records for easier retrieval and return. One of the filing systems used is the straight numeric filing. In this system, patients record are filed in a sequence with the earlier records coming first while the most recent records come at the top of the file. This system of filing can use color-coding if there are a large number of straight numeric files. Terminal digital filing breaks down the large file numbers into two digits and these two digits are, in turn, read from right to the left to enhance efficiency. This system is usually used in large hospitals with more patients. Alphabetical filing involves the filing of patients’ records alphabetically. This system of filing mimics the telephone book where the surname is given and then the other names given in strict alphabet order.

Describe some occupational health safety issues involved with handling patient’s records 

Handling of patients records is established by the occupational health safety standards, which ensure the privacy of patients’ records. The occupational health safety guidelines require that a medical organization should track the movement of the patient files across departments through the use of an electronic database or file movement registers. Moreover, the occupational health safety guidelines limit the number of individuals with the access of patients records to reduce cases of infiltration. Furthermore, there are supposed to be acceptable procedures, which are used to allow patients to view their medical records. Sometimes the patients may contact third parties to view their records but this should be ascertained beforehand to reduce the chances of breaching patients confidentiality.

Assessment 7 

Explain why adherence to the practice manual and timely documentation of incidents is important in medical organizations 

medical organizations just like any other organizations have their own share of safety concerns as they deal with a large number of individuals and equipment. Having realized the intricacies associated with running a medical organization the concerned authorities should enhance the safety of such an organization. One way of enhancing this safety by adhering to the practice manual by the concerned employees. The practice manual outlines the do and don’ts as well as the procedures, protocols and hierarchical provisions. In this case, the employees will know who to contact in case of emergencies or the steps to follow to reduce harm. On the other hand, the medical organization staff should document incidents as soon as they happen to increase the chances of effective reporting. Incidences, which are reported long after they have happened, may miss essential details, which may cost the organization. Correct documentation of incidences will come in handy as the medical organization will be in a position to deal with their consequences more effectively.

Describe three different hazards you might encounter in a medical office 

Medical offices may present various hazards related to occupational health safety. One of the hazards that one could encounter is medical waste such as used syringes, blood samples among other bodily fluid. Another hazard that one might encounter in a medical office is incorrectly stored chemicals which may cause injuries, burns or choking if the fumes are inhaled. Finally, the medical office would have inadequate safety equipment and clothing which may be hazardous considering that medical professional should be wary of more health risks.

What does the Hierarchy of Control mean? 

The hierarchy of control refers to the organizational structure, which defines where authority comes from and goes to in case of emergencies. The hierarchy of control is important especially in case of emergencies. The employees should know who to report to or take orders from to enhance the safety of the medical organizations. For example, the supervisor, OHS officer, or practice manager hold the top administrative positions making them the recipients of emergency information. Once they receive the information they then advise the staff on how to handle the emergencies

Describe three different ways you could help maintain a safe workplace 

Maintenance of a safe workplace is an effort by all departments since it enhances the working of the entire organizations. The concerned departments can enhance a safe work environment by keeping the passageways open at all times to reduce the incidences of being trapped in case of emergencies. Moreover, the concerned staff should check out all the packages to reduce the chances of receiving explosives and bombs. The reason for this is the fact that criminal elements could target medical offices since they bring together a lot of people. Finally, the staff in hospitals should adopt effective cleaning, sterilization and disinfecting practices to reduce infections, which may be caused by equipment and spillages. Of importance is the fact that there should be a central source of coordination to ensure that all departments work within a uniform course of action to enhance the efficiency of safety guidelines.

Assessment 8 

Explain why privacy, discretion, honesty, and thoroughness are important in medical organizations inquiries 

Medical organizations work with varied stakeholders who use inquiries to get the required information. These inquiries help to inform the stakeholders on the course of action they are to take in relation with the medical organization. A medical organization must exercise caution during inquiries by sticking to several principles. For one the medical organization should enhance the privacy of the inquiries and this information should not be in the public domain as some information could be confidential. For example, particular government agencies may want to know the number of patients with sexually transmitted infections. While the medical organization can give the number of the patients, it cannot reveal their identities as doing this would breach the patient's privacy. Additionally, the medical organization should embrace the principle of discretion. In this case, the organization should be careful about the kind of information it gives since some information could be used against the organization. Furthermore, the principle of honesty ensures that the medical organization remains credible and reliable. Giving false information could attract negative consequences and bad reputation. Finally, the medical organization should endeavor to embrace to thoroughness during inquiries. Every detail should be given no matter how insignificant it is to enhance effectiveness in information giving.

Can you describe a situation where confidentiality has been broken? 

Patients’ confidentiality can be broken accidentally from time to time, which may lead to a lawsuit. Some of the instances where patients confidentiality is broken can be during interdepartmental transfers. Say for example that a patient was supposed to attend a radiotherapy session. It is expected that the radiographer will have the mandate to access the patient's file to determine the course of action. However, the patient file is taken to the pharmacological department by mistake. In this case, the staff at the department will have access to the patient's information. They may not know how the file came into their possession and may take this file to other departments, which put the patient's confidentiality at stake. Following upon that patient's file will further lead to a breach of patients privacy as the follow-up team would have to divulge the patient's details.

References

Miller, J., 2018, ‘ Common Physiotherapy Treatment Techniques,’ Viewed March 15, 2019 https://physioworks.com.au/FAQRetrieve.aspx?ID=30872

Mind. Mental health problems – an Introduction. Viewed March 15, 2019 https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/mental-health-problems-introduction/support-services/#.XIvo_FQzayJ

Mungo Foundation. What we do. Viewed March 15, 2019 http://www.themungofoundation.org.uk/what-we-do/day-opportunities/community-support-services-glasgow-/

The Avenues Trust Group. Community Support Services. Viewed March 15, 2019 https://www.avenuesgroup.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/east-of-england/community-support-services/

Warwickshire Housing Related Support. About the Service. Viewed March 15, 2019 https://www.together-uk.org/projects/warwickshire-housing-related-support/