Quality improvement in long term care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality improvement in long term care - Essay Example 40% of the residents require assistance with feeding. The high numbers of non-ambulatory patients put this facility put it among only 10% in the state. On May 10, 2004 the facility was investigated for a complaint which resulted in a substandard quality of care under Quality Indicator number 4, a prevalence of depression symptoms that also include two of the following; negative comments from residents, agitation or withdrawal, unpleasant mode upon waking, suicidal, weight loss or recurring thoughts of death. I choose the number 4 Quality Indicator for Emotional/Behavior Patterns due to its effect on quality of life. It may also be the end result of the other deficiencies at the facility, which included a high percentage of indwelling catheters, excessive amounts of medications and lack of assistance with personal care. The Quality Indicators for Emotional/Behavior Patterns of agitation and suicide could be signs of overdose of antidepressant medications. Sadness and withdrawal might be symptoms of depression as well as thoughts of death or weight loss, which needs to be treated. Depression encompasses both physical and mental health and can alter the responsiveness to nutritional and physical therapy as well as medical treatments. This deficiency has a potential for more than minimal harm. As per guidelines of the American Medical Directors Associ... Blood tests should include a chemistry profile, complete blood count, serum levels for anticonvulsant or tricyclic antidepressants, thyroid test or other levels pertaining to the individual in question. Before addressing pharmacogenesis of depression, however, consider another factor: Depression in the older adult if often more difficult to diagnose than in younger people. One reason is a prevailing misconception within general society, and even with the professional community, that older adults are supposed to be depressed, that it a natural part of getting older. In fact, an older adult's functional status, or level of impairment thereof, is often more influential than mere aging in shaping a person's mood. The residents of nursing homes usually have significant levels of debilitation, often arising from numerous chronic conditions. The complex nature of these conditions often frustrates physicians and treatment staff, often leading residents to have a sense of sadness or depression. (Garavaglia, 2006) If psychological testing and laboratory testing demonstrate that the resident is in need of psychiatric services, medical treatment or a medication adjustment and those measures lead to improvement, then the nursing staff needs to monitor the behavior and attitudes of the resident to prevent any digression or reaction to prescribed medications. If the depression does not appear to have a physical cause then assessment of the resident's environment and quality of life is the next step. Nursing should ask a few questions to determine the Quality of Care Improvement Plan. Is the resident capable of doing more personal care for himself, but needs clothes laid out or some other measure to maintain some independence If the resident is

Use Of Pleasure Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Use Of Pleasure - Term Paper Example It is due to the use of pleasure that individuals enjoy themselves and sometimes every bit of life (Mulvey 439). The concepts of pleasure can have a strong influence over the personality of individuals. Such as those people who love every bit and every moment of this life , their personality is different, while those who do not enjoy life or we could say that those people who are a bit introvert and shy their personality is totally different. The use of pleasure can be achieved through different ways. Many people smoke or drink and enjoy life and they believe or claim that they are enjoying life and are in a state of pleasure. On the other hand there are people who have attached different meanings and values to other activities and then through those activities they achieve enjoyment or we could say that they are using pleasure directly or indirectly. There are different ways and means through which the state of pleasure can be achieved. It depends upon person to person and their likings for different activities and hobbies through which they achieve the state of pleasure. Some of the factors through which the choices of enjoyment are made are the following. Many people achieve the state of pleasure through adventure. Basically these people are those who are extrovert ,who love going out, who are consider interaction much important and they also go out and try to explore the world .However , we must keep in mind that such people also are different and it depends upon person to person. For example it also depends upon the nations and different countries. In United States of America the local or native people might like to go out and see different places this is the ways through which they achieve the state of pleasure or through this way they use pleasure. On the other hand for example people in Russia might love to go out and see the pure Russian sights such as the different locations of Siberia. So this shows that there are variations all over the world