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Fundamentals of Nursing

Introduction

Fundamentals of NursingIntroduction
Man in a wheelchair wearing workout gloves using an exercise machine in an office setting, focusing on rehabilitation exercises.
Figure 42.1 Disability and chronic conditions can impact an individual’s quality of life. Special healthcare considerations should be taken to ensure all the patient’s needs are addressed, such as by providing guidance on using a piece of equipment in the workplace. (modification of “Sgt. Joshua Elliott uses a Primus RS machine during physical therapy" by Official U.S. Navy Page/flickr, Public Domain)

Chapter Outline

42.1 Characteristics of Disability
42.2 Healthcare Approach to Disability
42.3 Chronic Disease and Chronic Illness
42.4 Healthcare Approach to Chronic Conditions

Disabilities may be acute or chronic, lasting a few months to a lifetime. Nurses encounter individuals with a wide range of disabilities that encompass physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments. Disability is a physical or cognitive impairment that limits an individual’s ability to interact in expected ways in their environment (CDC, 2020a). Nurses must exhibit confidence, competence, and respect in caring for these individuals. Specific cultural attitudes and legal parameters regarding disabilities guide nurses in making informed and individualized decisions in caring for individuals with disabilities. The nurse’s role in providing care involves creating an accurate view of different aspects of disability and incorporating these ideas into compassionate and individualized care plans. Nurses must understand disability from various viewpoints to provide comprehensive care. By incorporating social, personal, emotional, physical, cognitive, and community care, nurses empower each individual to reach their maximum capacity for health and wellness. Because some disabilities are present for an individual's life span, nurses must incorporate coping strategies to address challenges that arise and change over a lifetime.

Chronic disease and illness are widespread. With ever-changing and improving healthcare treatment and care, people in the United States live longer overall. Because the average adult life span is longer, many individuals live longer with chronic illnesses or conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer (Kochanek et al., 2022). Nurses play a crucial role in the support of individuals with chronic disease. From education regarding medications and coping skills for managing new diagnoses to social considerations for managing a chronic disease and family interactions in the face of illness, nurses empower individuals to live a life of wellness in the face of disease. Understanding the pathophysiology of disease states is important, but the nurse's ability to comprehend the human response to chronic disease and illness is also important in providing patient-centered care. This will vary from person to person, so nurses can offer critical knowledge and compassion in caring for these individuals. Although the incidence of chronic disease increases with age, some diseases begin in childhood and are lifelong, requiring the nurse to understand the concepts of disease in relation to life stage and development.

Nurses face unique and evolving situations with multiple chronic diseases in caring for many individuals simultaneously and over many years. Nurses must be equipped to address the emotional toll of chronic disease as well as its impacts on family and other social structures. Nurses must be prepared to navigate detailed and complex discussions with patients while controlling their emotions.

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