A patient/family care study on peptic ulcer diseases

Abstract

Before the era of Florence Nightingale, nursing was being practiced in various homes in caring for new borns, the sick and the wounded. From nightingale’s era it became a profession that requires formal training based on the nursing process approach. The nursing process is a tool used by nurses to provide a holistic care to the patient, the family and the community. As a practice, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana requires that every student nurse submit a Patient/Family care study which makes use of the nursing process before the award of Registered General Nursing certificate. Patient and family care study is a report primarily about the care rendered to a patient and family. The study helps the student nurse to be abreast with the necessary care given to patients, emphasizing health promotion, maintenance and restoration or enhancing a peaceful death, depending on the patient‘s condition. The study also helps the student nurse to apply knowledge acquired theoretically and clinically in courses such as basic Nursing, Advance Nursing, Pharmacology, Medical and Surgical Nursing to nurse a patient from admission through discharge to home visits. During the study, a student nurse is required to give comprehensive details of a particular patient and family which include assessment of the patient and family to enable the student to set goals and objectives for proper implementation. Due to the comprehensive care plan given, the student nurse becomes equipped with information on the patient’s condition. Patient initials were used instead of the patient full name to maintain confidentiality.