A Client/Family Centered Nursing Care Study on Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract

Modern science has charged to a comprehensive and individual nursing care of patient by means of employing new techniques in the professional nursing. It plays a unique role in the health sector in that, it demands a blend of sensitivity care commitment and skills base on knowledge and in its application. Nursing started with the use of traditional medicine and other practices which were not guided or proved by theories or technology. The above trend of nursing was practiced by many great legends in nursing which include Florence Nightingale and Virginia Henderson.But currently, it is ensured that clients are nursed with a system in which theoretically and technologically based care are adopted. Hence, care study is adopted in a sense that clients are nursed using the nursing process which comprises of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation as a criteria and principle in nursing.Patient and family care study involves the collection of data from patient by using the problem solving approach to find out patients’ problems, the causes of the problems and to render a comprehensive and competent nursing care to the patient using the nursing process approach. It involves detailed written account of the holistic nursing care rendered to the patient and herfamily. It also involves and creates a good professional but cordial relationship between the patient, family community, and the health team. The patient/family care study forms part of the assessment of every final year student. It is a prerequisite for every candidate in order to partially fulfill the award of diploma certificate in Registered General Nursing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana. It affords the student the opportunity to develop his/her skills for future use. The patient/family care study is a comprehensive account of the comprehensive and competent nursing care rendered to the patient and family from the day of admission through the day of discharge, review and follow up visits.The confidentiality of the patient and family were ensured by the use of patient/family initials instead of their full names.The comprehensive care rendered was made possible by the employment of skills and knowledge in such disciplines as psychology, public health nursing, medical nursing, surgical nursing, pharmacology and nutrition and dietetics to meet the patient/family’s needs and the community at large.