Comprehensive Health Assessment Essay

Comprehensive Health Assessment Essay

Comprehensive Health Assessment Essay

Shadow health is a valuable technique for conducting interviews and examinations, especially when individuals seek information and guidance on sensitive topics. This paper examines a comprehensive health assessment of a 21-year-old Filipino female college student residing in a dormitory who expresses curiosity about birth control. Despite the conservative attitudes towards sex prevalent in Filipino culture, this young woman recognizes the importance of safeguarding herself against unintended pregnancies due to peer pressure.

Interview and Communication Techniques

During the communication and interview of the 21-year-old Filipino female college student, I would approach the situation with sensitivity and respect for her conservative background. According to Butt (2021), building rapport and trust is crucial to ensure effective communication and encourage the patient to share her concerns and questions freely. I would use active listening techniques, maintain open body language, and demonstrate empathy throughout the interview to create a supportive and non-judgmental environment to encourage the patient to participate actively, allowing the patient to feel comfortable discussing her concerns and motivations for seeking birth control.

Communication and interview techniques may differ for each patient based on their cultural background, personal preferences, and specific needs. As highlighted by Kwame and Petrucka (2021) in the literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions, recognizing and adapting to the cultural background, personal preferences, and specific needs of each patient is essential in promoting effective communication, building trust, and providing patient-centered care. Considering the patient’s conservative Filipino background, it is necessary to approach the topic of birth control in a culturally sensitive manner. Awareness of cultural beliefs and norms can guide the conversation and help address any patient concerns regarding unwanted pregnancies and sexual health.

Targeted Questions

Targeted questions to assess the patient’s health risks and build a health history would include: a) Can you tell me about your knowledge and understanding of birth control methods? b) How do you perceive the risk of unintended pregnancies or STIs in your current situation? c) Have you ever been sexually active? If yes, what methods have you used to prevent pregnancy or protect against STIs? d) How comfortable do you feel discussing sexual health topics with healthcare professionals? e) Do you have any concerns or questions regarding birth control that you would like to address?

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Considering the patient’s social determinants of health is crucial when targeting questions for building a health history. In this scenario, the patient’s social determinants of health include her age, gender, ethnicity, and environmental setting. I would inquire about her cultural beliefs and values regarding sex and contraception to understand her perspective better. Additionally, I would explore her social support system, such as her friends and family, to assess the level of support she might receive in making decisions about birth control. Questions related to her access to healthcare services, including any financial constraints, would also be relevant to determining the contraceptives available.

Risk Assessment Instrument

The risk assessment instrument that would be appropriate in this scenario is the sexual health risk assessment tool. This assessment tool can help gather information about the patient’s sexual history, knowledge of contraception methods, previous experiences, and concerns regarding sexual health (Turner et al., 2021). It can also provide insights into the patient’s understanding of safe sex practices, STI prevention, and the potential risks associated with unprotected sexual activity.

Factors Impacting the Health and Risk Assessment

Factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and environmental situations significantly influence the health and risk assessment of the patient. First, the patient’s 21 years old indicates that she is at an age where reproductive health and sexual education become increasingly relevant. At this stage, individuals often explore their sexuality, making it crucial to provide comprehensive information regarding birth control (Krull et al., 2021). Secondly, the patient’s gender as a female plays a significant role, as women bear the primary responsibility for contraception. Understanding this responsibility is essential for empowering women to make informed choices about their sexual health and prevent unintended pregnancies.

The patient’s Filipino ethnic background introduces cultural considerations into the equation. Filipino females often adhere to conservative values regarding sex due to cultural and religious influences (Nagai et al., 2019). However, the patient’s desire to learn about birth control highlights the impact of peer pressure and changing societal norms. Recognizing this cultural context is vital in delivering information that respects the patient’s values while addressing her concerns and ensuring she has access to effective contraception options.

Furthermore, the patient’s environment, specifically living in a dorm, is significant regarding privacy, support, and access to resources. Living in a shared space may create challenges in maintaining confidentiality, which could discourage the patient from seeking appropriate information or contraception. Additionally, the college environment may introduce other risk factors such as increased sexual activity, exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and limited access to healthcare (Kassie et al., 2019). Addressing these environmental factors is crucial in tailoring the health and risk assessment to the patient’s situation.

Conclusion

Utilizing appropriate communication and interview techniques, targeted questions, and risk assessment instruments enables nurses to assess the patient’s health risks and develop an informed plan of care specific to her individual needs. By addressing the patient’s current health concerns and providing culturally sensitive education about sexual health and contraception, nurses can ensure that the patient has the necessary tools to make informed choices.

References

Butt, M. F. (2021). Approaches to building rapport with patients. Clinical Medicine, 21(6). https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.2021-0264

Kassie, B. A., Yenus, H., Berhe, R., & Kassahun, E. A. (2019). Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among the University of Gondar students, northwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. Reproductive Health, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-019-0815-5

Krull, L. M., Pearce, L. D., & Jennings, E. A. (2021). How religion, social class, and race intersect in the shaping of young women’s understandings of sex, reproduction, and contraception. Religions, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12010005

Kwame, A., & Petrucka, P. M. (2021). A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: Barriers, facilitators, and the way forward. BMC Nursing, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00684-2

Nagai, M., Bellizzi, S., Murray, J., Kitong, J., Cabral, E. I., & Sobel, H. L. (2019). Opportunities lost: Barriers to increasing the use of effective contraception in the Philippines. PLOS ONE, 14(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218187

Turner, M. J., Chu, M., Cotler, K., & Yingling, C. (2021). Application of a sexual risk assessment tool in a primary care clinic. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(9), 1128–1132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2021.06.018

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Situation:

A 21-year-old Filipino, female college student living in a dorm wants to know what birth control is. (Filipino females are very conservative with sex but, due to peer pressure, wanted to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy)

In this scenario, you will consider how factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and environmental situations impact the health and risk assessment of the patients you serve. You will consider how these factors influence your interview and communication techniques as you work in partnership with a patient to gather data to build a health history.

Post a description of your interview and communication techniques on your selected patient. Explain why you would use these techniques. Identify the risk assessment instrument you selected and justify why it is applicable to your patient.

We will be using Shadow Health for Interviewing and Assessment Techniques.

Course Text:

Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2019). Seidel’s guide to physical examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

Sullivan, D. D. (2019). Guide to clinical documentation (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.

Shadow Health: Advanced Health Assessment DCE. ISBN: 978-0-98-978880-9