Title: Basic Need Status and Health-Promoting Self-care Behavior in Adults: Application in Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty for a 45-Year-Old Male Patient Presenting with Asthma Exacerbation and Heroin Use
Introduction:
In recent years, the role of family nurse practitioners (FNPs) has expanded to encompass comprehensive care for patients with complex health conditions. This assignment aims to apply the selected model from Action and Malathum’s (2000) article on basic need status and health-promoting self-care behavior in adults to a specific patient scenario. The scenario involves a 45-year-old male patient presenting with asthma exacerbation and a history of heroin use. The selected model will be utilized to guide assessment, counseling, and teaching interventions in the context of the FNP specialty.
Selected Model:
The selected model from the article by Action and Malathum (2000) is grounded in the concept of basic need status and its influence on health-promoting self-care behavior. The model emphasizes the significance of addressing individuals’ basic needs to promote optimal health outcomes. It recognizes that individuals’ ability to meet their basic needs may be compromised by various factors, including socioeconomic status, psychosocial stressors, and access to healthcare resources.
Assessment:
Upon encountering the 45-year-old male patient with asthma exacerbation and a history of heroin use, the FNP must conduct a comprehensive assessment encompassing physiological, psychological, sociocultural, and environmental factors. This assessment aims to identify the patient’s basic needs that may impact his health-promoting self-care behavior. The FNP should focus on gaining an understanding of the patient’s:
1. Socioeconomic status: Assessing the patient’s income, education, and employment status will provide insights into his access to financial resources and opportunities for education and employment, which are vital for meeting basic needs.
2. Social support system: Exploring the patient’s family and social relationships can reveal the presence or absence of a support network that aids in meeting basic needs and managing chronic health conditions.
3. Psychosocial stressors: Understanding the patient’s experiences of stress, anxiety, depression, and substance use can shed light on potential barriers to health-promoting self-care behaviors, such as adherence to prescribed medications and avoidance of triggers.
4. Environmental factors: Assessing the patient’s living conditions, neighborhood, and access to healthcare services will unveil potential challenges in meeting basic needs, such as stable housing, clean air, and healthcare resources.
By utilizing the selected model, the FNP can systematically gather and analyze data related to the patient’s basic need status, which will subsequently inform interventions aimed at enhancing health-promoting self-care behavior.
Counseling:
Based on the assessment findings, the FNP should engage in therapeutic communication with the patient to address barriers to self-care behavior. The counseling interventions should focus on three main components:
1. Identification and exploration of basic needs: The FNP should collaboratively identify and discuss the patient’s basic needs that may be compromised due to his asthma exacerbation and heroin use. This process promotes awareness and understanding of the impact of unmet needs on health outcomes.
2. Development of coping strategies: The FNP should assist the patient in developing adaptive coping strategies to address the identified barriers. This may involve identifying alternative sources of support, stress management techniques, and problem-solving skills to enhance the patient’s ability to meet basic needs.
3. Referral and resource utilization: The FNP should explore available community resources and services that can support the patient in meeting his basic needs. This may include referrals to social services, substance abuse treatment programs, financial assistance programs, and support groups.
Teaching:
In conjunction with counseling interventions, the FNP should employ patient education to empower the individual to take ownership of his health and self-care behaviors. The teaching interventions should prioritize the following aspects:
1. Asthma management: Provide education on asthma triggers, symptom recognition, proper inhaler technique, medication adherence, and actions to take in the event of an exacerbation. This knowledge equips the patient with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively manage his asthma.
2. Harm reduction and substance abuse education: Deliver education on the risks associated with heroin use, harm reduction strategies, and available treatment options. This education aims to increase the patient’s understanding of the consequences of substance abuse and motivate behavioral change towards recovery.
3. Health-promoting self-care behaviors: Educate the patient on the importance of addressing basic needs, engaging in stress management techniques, healthy lifestyle choices (e.g., diet, exercise, sleep), and accessing appropriate healthcare resources. This comprehensive education supports the patient in adopting health-promoting self-care behaviors.
Conclusion:
By applying the selected model of basic need status and health-promoting self-care behavior, FNPs can effectively intervene in patient-care problems. Assessing the patient’s basic needs, counseling to address barriers, and teaching health-promoting self-care behaviors will all contribute to improving health outcomes and positively impacting the patient’s overall well-being.
