A Client/Family Centered Nursing Care Study on Gastroenteritis

Abstract

Nursing is a professional health service that is directed towards the promotion and maintenance of health, treatment and prevention of diseases and the restoration of optimal functioning of the individual, family and communities. To be able to meet the various needs of patients and family, and thus give quality care to them, nursing care has moved from task-oriented approach to giving of total or individualized care involving both patient and family. Patient/Family care study is carried out by student nurses to enable them put into practice the knowledge and skills which they have acquired from the three-year training period in school. This is to ascertain how best the theoretical knowledge could be used practically to help patient get the effective nursing care. It helps the student nurse to encounter the patient closely, understand his/her condition and identify problems of the patient. It is satisfactory to both the nurse and patient, that is, the patient becomes satisfied with the care rendered to him or her. The student nurse also feels happy upon being able to achieve his or her goal. The study serves as a requirement for the award of a professional license to practice by the Nurses and Midwives council of Ghana. Patient/Family initial have been used instead of their full names to ensure privacy and confidentiality as part of the ethics of the Nurses and Midwives Council.