Alicia Dumont

Core Competency: roles and responsibilities

Throughout the presentation, “Aging and Wellness”, I learned about the eight dimensions of wellness as well as the concept of resilience in the context of aging and wellness. With aging, it often comes with the assumption that aging is a disease that should be treated with medicine. However, the eight dimensions of wellness for aging adults offers a holistic approach by focusing on the whole human being including mind, body, and spirit. Specifically, the eight dimensions of wellness are interconnected, which include the areas of developmental, physical, emotional, relational, contextual, vocational, spiritual, and cognitive. As individuals age, they often experience challenges and adversities, which may negatively impact one of the dimensions of wellness; and in turn, this can have the potential to impact all areas of wellness and well-being. Thus, it is of utmost importance for a nurse to identify an aging client’s challenges to counsel them to find strength and resilience as well resources needed to overcome any struggles they are facing. As I have learned in the lecture, resilience is a construct in geriatrics that contributes to an older adult’s ability to identify and overcome adversities that may affect their eight dimensions of wellness and to positively adapt to these challenges in order to strive for harmony and balance as they age. Notably, resilience of an older adult is not that they are not experiencing challenges and suffering within these dimensions, but it encompasses the ability to identify the areas of weaknesses and pain to work through such adversities they are facing to achieve their greatest potential to achieve harmony within themselves. Geriatric patient care involves awareness, empathy, and action in order to assist aging clients to experience healthy and fulfilled lives. Throughout this lecture, I will be discussing the roles and responsibilities of a nurse working with the geriatric population, which is a core competency associated with the honors distinction diploma.

For example, as a nurse I will be certain to assess all dimensions of wellness, but for the purpose of the reflection today, I will be focusing on two dimensions: emotional and relational. Thus, this lecture has allowed me to reflect on the roles and responsibilities of a nurse working with the geriatric population. In this lecture, I learned that the facet of emotional wellness focuses on the ability of an older adult to adapt and manage the many stressors life bring while at the same time being hopeful about what the future holds as well as being resilient in the face of adversities. Hopefulness is important to well-being because goals and dreams instill a desire thrive. This is extremely important to patient care because having poor emotional wellness has the potential to impact all areas of wellness. A person’s inspirations and drive come from their ability to see themselves as contributors to society. Without continued goals and aspirations, an aging adult can become hopeless and their ability to strive for wellness and longevity can decline. Thus, the information regarding emotional wellness that I have learned today will be applied in my future nursing profession. For instance, I will assess the client’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, self-esteem, and coping mechanisms. While, at the same time I will provide ways for the client to manage these qualities in healthy ways when they are experiencing the stress or emotional pitfalls that life can present in order to help promote positive emotional wellness which can lead to physical well-being. Lastly, I will encourage my aging patients to ask others for help whenever necessary and not to feel ashamed about weaknesses experienced during the process of aging. Overall, individuals advancing in age should focus on their strengths while simultaneously recognizing any weaknesses, so they can reach out for help and support as needed.

In addition, achieving relational wellness is also extremely important to assess in an aging client. Relational wellness focuses on the client’s support network including family, friends, peers and even their medical providers. It also involves their connection with their community. Sometimes older adults feel isolated and not connected with those around them on a social, physical, and emotional level. Thus, the risk of isolation is strongly associated with a decline in emotional well-being which can result in mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Emotional and mental health is as important as physical, and together, they need to be considered when providing geriatric patient care. Relational wellness is important to ensure positive emotional health, so aging patients should be encouraged to stay involved with family, friends, and community, but at the same time health care providers should also be aware if their aging patients are feeling alone and isolated. Both emotional and physical health are intertwined and critical to how well people age, so healthcare providers need to monitor their aging patients carefully. Thus, the information regarding relational wellness, I have learned today, I will apply in my future nursing profession. As a nurse, I will ensure to assess a client’s support network, whether they feel connected to others in their family and community, and whether they have a sense of belonging. I will encourage them to reach out to others for support when in need, participate in family gatherings, social groups e.g., book clubs, and even volunteer groups. I will provide resources for support if a patient’s emotional and relational wellness is concerning, and I will be empathetic and a good listener. Sometimes lending an ear and offering a gentle hand can be the best medicine, so I will be sure I pay my patients close attention, talking to them about their concerns and provide helpful encouragement and advice as needed, so they can lead the best lives possible well into their old age.

Core Competency: Roles and Responsibility

Before this lecture, my pre-existing beliefs surrounding childhood obesity were that obese and deconditioned children suffer primarily physical effects, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory conditions (e.g., asthma). However, this lecture brought my attention to the impact obesity has on a young child’s mental and emotional well-being, which can begin at very young ages. In the lecture, we learned negative weight stereotypes often begin as early as pre-school age and can be stigmatizing throughout a child’s lifetime. Childhood obesity can cause isolation because obese children often withdraw from making friends and joining social and sports activities. Consequently, these children are more susceptible to depression, anxiety, lower self-esteem, poor body image, and weight-related victimization from bullying can make matters worse. Thus, as nurses, it is crucial that we address childhood obesity when providing treatment to children and their parents to help implement preventative interventions so that obese children can live healthier and happier lives that will continue to adulthood. Thus, I will be addressing the roles and responsibilities of the nurse in regards to childhood obesity.

Overall, many factors contribute to childhood obesity, some of which I was unaware of before attending this presentation and some I have learned throughout the lecture. For instance, stigmas and biases surrounding childhood obesity include the assumption that childhood obesity stems from poor diet and low levels of physical activity. It is easy to assume that lack of exercise, and poor diet is the primary roles in obesity; however, those two factors are not always the leading contributors to childhood obesity. Several other factors are associated with the increased risk of childhood obesity, such as genetics, race, socioeconomic factors, and family influences. Thus, multiple disparities play a huge role in contributing to and preventing childhood obesity.

Regarding socioeconomic factors, good health is often unattainable. Medications and healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, are expensive. The lack of access to these healthy foods can majorly contribute to childhood obesity. Processed and fast foods are more affordable and easier to attain, but they are loaded with saturated fat, sugar, and carbohydrates. Diets high in processed foods are known to lead to obesity. Also, the cost of health insurance can be high, making it difficult for some families to purchase it, and if they do have it, some insurances do not cover certain medications. So if parents cannot afford the necessary medications, children suffering from health issues may go untreated. Wellness is essential to good health, so a lack of good healthcare too can contribute to childhood obesity. In addition, low-income families often live in disadvantaged neighborhoods where healthy foods are hard to find. Instead of full-service supermarkets in some communities, fast-food chains and convenience stores often provide cheap, high-fat foods. This is detrimental to good health, and those providing such foods gear their marketing to such communities and help contribute to children’s weight issues. Families often cannot afford healthy food, and food insecurity concerns many communities. Schools and governments try to assist, but the lack of access to healthy foods is a massive problem for lower socioeconomic communities. Stress and emotional issues are also vital factors associated with increased weight gain and metabolic issues. Children in insecure neighborhoods or unstable homes often deal with increased stress, fear, and anxiety, leading to emotional eating and obesity. Furthermore, some forms of childhood obesity may be inherited due to changes in a single gene, such as a commonly implicated gene known as the MC4R.

Additionally, the lecture focused on many barriers to treating childhood obesity, which deepened my awareness and understanding of childhood obesity, and how I can apply this in my future nursing practice. Thus, as a nurse, I will ensure that I consider and address the barriers discussed in the lecture. In addition, I will work to raise awareness and implement interventions to help lessen childhood obesity and related stigmas. Some strategies for managing/resolving health and healthcare disparities that may affect affected populations that I will implement will include recommending healthy food choices. I will also help find resources that can be accessed to attain healthy foods for a well-rounded, balanced diet. Also, I will promote physical activity and make suggestions for exercise routines and how to make simple lifestyle changes to increase activity. I will facilitate family involvement, which can help promote wellness, benefit the entire household, and promote changing behaviors associated with positive eating habits and increased physical activity. I will make every effort to try to recognize if lower-income families are struggling to assist them better in combatting food insecurities and to help them access pertinent medication when in need. Finally, I will be committed to helping overcome healthcare disparities. My goal as a nurse is to be understanding, aware, and committed to wellness so that all children have the best advantage for healthy, stable, and thriving lives.