reflective paper (geriatric nursing)

7/30/2019 REFLECTIVE PAPER (GERIATRIC NURSING)

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DOMINICA STATE COLLEGE

Faculty of Health Sciences

ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE GENERAL NURSING

GERIATRIC NURSING NUR134

REFLECTIVE PAPER

Presented to

MS. BERNADETTE AUSTRIE

by

REBEKAH R. ROBERTS

10BROR00498

28.3.2012


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LIFE IS BUT A JOURNEY

Life is but a Journey.

At the beginning of my journey I am blessed

To see and assist those at the end of theirs.

It is a great privilege,

I honour the responsibility and accept the challenge,

Knowing that one day, I too will be at the end of mine.

And then I will hope that someone at the beginning

Will treat me as I will strive to do now;

Knowing that life is but a journey.

ROBERTS 2012


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OLDER ADULTS AND WELLNESS :Ageism

And Other Myths And Stereotypes

In my time in the clinical setting as a student I have been privileged to see many things

that please and displease me. I include displease me, in that I have deeply appreciated

the experiences, some bad that have allowed me to form attitudes and have allowed me

endeavour to hold a higher level of care for the older adult. Every negative habit I see

being perpetrated by my nursing and healthcare- giving colleagues tugs at my heart,

and every tug solidifies the thought that I never want to treat another human being these

ways. I say this not only thinking of the individual being mistreated, that they could be

my parents or grandparents, but that one day they could be me.

Ageism, a concept introduced by R.N. Butler, is the process of systemic stereotyping

and discrimination against people because of their age, usually directed against the

elderly.

Ageism occurs either because persons are uneducated and ignorant on the process of

aging and so develops negative stereotypes and myths or that overall they do not

contain, within their being the capacity to care for individuals placed in their care. The

former can be remedied with education but fortunately or unfortunately for the latter,

nursing is in part an art and caring cannot be taught.

In my clinical experience on a particular ward I saw a ward aide threatening to harm a

patient if the patient did not do as she had requested. I felt shocked and saddened by


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this treatment and had to intervene. I stated to the ward aide, that this was no the way

and that more understanding and care should be shown towards the patient considering

that the behaviours exhibited by the patient was indicative of previous maltreatment.

The situation was one that was unfortunate but happens many times in the care of the

elderly.

Notions are formulated that older adults are unproductive, disengaged, inflexible, senile,

unable to learn and sexless. These myths then carry on to the way older persons are

cared for. These myths dehumanize those who should be respected members of our

society and strip them from their dignity and the respect they deserve. It should be

noted that less than 5% of older adults experience dementia and it is often a

consequence of disease, overmedication, neglect and despair, the latter three things,

things that may occur from ageism constructs by care givers.

According to Masters and Johnson (1995), when older persons are properly motivated,

their intelligence does not wane. In fact, with better organizational skills borne of

experience, the ability to organize thoughts efficiently may increase as one ages.

It is therefore important that education, re-education, re-emphasization and seminars be

done on care and stimulation of the older adult to enhance the lives of the older adult.

Knowledge of age related factors (biological, physiological and psychosocial) will allow

for change of thought in care givers and invalidates many of the myths and stereotypes

of aging. This can then be transferred to practice and will allow for a higher and more

specialized level of care for elderly persons.


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Understanding the Disengagement Theory, Cummings, 1961, and Activity theory,

Havighurst, will better allow for planning and implementing of care for older adults. The

former states that older adults undergo a withdrawal from society that is inevitable and

systematic that ensures social equilibrium. This dispels the notion that (especially in

Dominica) all older women who are withdrawn from society are soucouyants or have

mental problems or are abnormal. The activity theory states that the key to healthy

aging is keeping the older adult active. This also states that remaining psychosocially fit

with stimulation is important to healthy aging. Using these two theories in conjunction

with each other the care giver can realize that though the older adult withdraws from

society, this does not have to translate into all physical, mental and social activities and

therefore programs can be put in place to meet those needs of stimulation.

Also using the theory of sub-culture and age stratification, more detailed plans can be

made to facilitate stimulating social and mental activities by grouping persons based on

their similarities such as mobility and health to create individuals to grow and improve

with their cohorts.

Knowledge is a powerful tool that can be used to enhance the care given to and the

lives of elderly patients. It is therefore important that knowledge of gerontology be

increased among health care workers so that health and wellness is maintained and

ageism attitudes and stereotypes be eradicated.


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A YOUNG GIRL STILL DWELLS

What do you see nurse, what do you see?

Are you thinking when you look at me

A crabbed old woman, not very wise,

Uncertain of habit with far away eyes,

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply

When you say in a loud voiceI do wish youd try.

Who seems not to notice the things that you do

And forever is losing a stocking or shoes,

Who resisting or not, lets you do as you will

With bathing or feeding the long day to fill.

Is that what youre thinking, is that what you see

Then open your eyes nurse. Youre not looking at me.

Focus on the family, 1985


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REFERENCES

Eliopoulos, E. (1987) Gerontological Nursing. 6th ed. Philadelphia:

Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Encarta Dictionaries. (2008). Microsoft Corporation.

Kozier, B., Erb, G., Berman, A., & Snyder, S. (2004). Fundamentals of Nursing

Concepts, Process and Practice(7th Edition ed.).

Linton, A. Matteson, M. Maebius, N. (1995) introductory nursing care of adults.1st ed.

Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.

reflective paper (geriatric nursing)

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