Health Promotion Discussion Questions

Health Promotion Discussion Questions

1. What are some stress-relieving modalities you could help a patient incorporate into their daily routine?

The World Health Organization (WHO) posits that stress is a significant problem that affects patients’ physical and mental health. WHO defines stress as a situation where external factors threaten a person’s homeostasis. Stress-relieving modalities are cognitive, psychological, or behavioral. Assisting patients to integrate these techniques in their daily life will allow them to cope with stress effectively. Among evidence-based strategies for relieving stress are progressive muscle relaxation, relaxation response (RR), guided imagery, and diaphragmatic breathing. Health Promotion Discussion Questions.

Progressive muscle relaxation reduces stress by consecutively tensing and relaxing muscles. The technique entails both physical and mental components. Among patients, the relaxation of muscles reduces pain and anxiety while creating a pleasant mental state. Other long-term benefits of progressive muscle relaxation are decreased blood pressure, reduced anxiety and headaches, better cardiac rehabilitation, and improved quality of life (Yazdanimehr et al., 2016). The relaxation response is another stress-relieving modality that entails repeating words, sounds, prayers, or thoughts until the concentration is achieved. It decreases systolic hypertension, relieves medical symptoms, and enhance cardiac rehabilitation. Additionally, guided imagery is also useful for patients. It prevents smoking relapse, treats depression, and manages pain for overweight adolescents. Lastly, diaphragmatic breathing minimizes fatigue among patients, reduces anxiety and other signs of asthma among children, and manages long-term prophylaxis migraines.

2. What stress-relieving modalities can you add into your daily routine to help assist with the daily stressors of work, school, social, family life, etc?

I can add various stress-relieving modalities into my daily routine to effectively cope with work, school, and other life stressors. Among them are meditation, aromatherapy, self –affirmation, and adequate sleep. Meditation is an effective strategy for stress management as it produces deep-state relaxation and tranquility. When meditating, one focuses their attention to alleviate thoughts that may be crowding in mind causing stress. As a result, the technique reduces cortisol, ultimately resulting in enhanced physical and emotional health. Aromatherapy is highly effective in reducing work-related stressors. As nurses, we practice in stressful work environments. Identifying strategies for managing these stresses is crucial. Aromatherapy reduces on-job feelings of stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. The technique reduces stress by decreasing cortisol levels (stress hormone) in the body (Johnson et al., 2017). The application of essential oils in aromatherapy is also useful in pain reduction. Health Promotion Discussion Questions.  Self-affirmation is another strategy I can incorporate to manage life stressors. Our minds can create endorphins that have immense physical and psychological benefits. Positive affirmations center on retraining the mind to lead towards positive and beneficial thoughts. Lastly, adequate sleep is crucial in stress management. Sleep deprivation prevents the immune system from releasing cytokines used for fighting stress and infections. Applying lavender oil to the feet soles, neck, and temples induce relaxation and reduce tension headaches.

3. Is sleep really that important?! Tell me why you should collect a thorough history on a patient’s sleep behaviors (e.g. bedtime routine ritual, foods prior to bed, activities prior to bed, etc.).

Sleep plays a fundamental role in physical and psychological health. Sleep deprivation has grave long-term consequences such as memory problems, lack of concentration, weakened immunity, weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular illnesses. Collecting sleep patterns of patients is crucial to determine how sleep is affecting their health. Sleep assessment is vital as sleep disorders can be symptoms of diseases or indicators of depression.  According to Darraj et al. (2018), the dire effects of unhealthy sleep patterns are immense and widely varied as they span diverse body systems. As per the existing evidence, disturbed sleep patterns are a key element linked to impairing mental spectrum capabilities that range from simple to complex mental functions. In turn, this can lead to a deficit in cognitive performance, alertness, and accidents. Collecting the entire sleep history and patterns during sleep assessment allows nurses to link adverse psychological effects to sleep disturbance or deprivation. Unhealthy sleep patterns are associated with adverse health impacts such as high blood pressure, impaired glucose control, and increased body inflammation. Low sleep quality is a vital factor for impaired glycemic control, neuropathy, retinopathy, and psychological distress. Therefore, it is incredibly essential for nurses to conduct sleep assessment and identify risk factors associated with low sleep quality among patients. Health Promotion Discussion Questions.

4. Would you agree that one family members behaviors influence the behavior and coping mechanisms of the other family members? How can you, as the APRN assist the family to cope with dysfunctional behaviors within the family? You may use an example if you choose.

Yes, the behavior of one family member influences the behavior and coping mechanisms of the entire family. This phenomenon is well understood through the family systems theory, proposed by Dr. Murray Bowen. As per the theory, individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another. Instead, they are only understood in the context of family as a unit. In the family unit, each member plays a specific role (Popovic, 2018).  Thus, the members are expected to respond to each other in a specific way, based on their role. Based on Bowen’s framework, the family is one emotional unit where one member’s behavior affects the conduct and coping mechanisms of other members. Members of the same family tend to live under the same ‘emotional skin’ as they influence each other’s behaviors, thoughts, feelings, and opinions. As a result, the connectedness and reactivity of family members make their functioning interdependent. Reciprocal changes undoubtedly follow an adaptation or modification in one member’s functioning in the functioning of others.

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As an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), I would assist the family cope with dysfunctional behaviors within the unit through family-centered health promotion. According to Barnes et al. (2020), providing family-centered health promotion is a vital public health facet. Engaging all family members in healthcare-related decisions is incredibly crucial. It has been proven to be critical in the provision of logistical and emotional support in patient-centered care.

5. How can an APN function in the role of coaching with a patient?

Advanced practice nurses play a fundamental role in teaching/coaching patients. Coaching and guidance by APNs have been conceptualized as a complex, interactive, and well-rounded interpersonal process of transferring skills to patients. Patient coaching by advanced practice nurses encompasses patient education and guidance. Patient education is a crucial facet of self-care among patients with chronic illnesses. Health Promotion Discussion Questions.  Education allows patients to be better informed of their conditions, medical procedures, and alternative treatment options. Guidance, on the other hand, is an introductory, less comprehensive form of coaching. Whereas education focuses on empowering patients, guidance serves as actions that lead or direct the patients towards achieving optimal healthcare. The role of APN in guiding patients surrounds helping patients explore their resources and opportunities to increase awareness and promote behavioral change.

6. Have you ever used the Transtheoretical model of behavior change model? Describe how.

The transtheoretical model of behavior change is an integrative therapeutic framework that evaluates an individual’s readiness to engage in healthier behavior while providing guidelines for behavior change (Liu et al., 2018). In my practice as a nurse, I have utilized the theory several times. Recently, our work organization proposed using the transtheoretical model to promote behavioral change in patients with chronic illnesses. Specifically, we spent a considerable amount of time encouraging patients with chronic diseases to integrate healthy behaviors such as healthy diets and physical exercises into their lifestyle. Using the theory, we incorporated the stages and processes of change, and developed interventions focused explicitly on each patient, depending on their readiness to change. 

References

Barnes, M. D., Hanson, C. L., Novilla, L. B., Magnusson, B. M., Crandall, A. C., & Bradford, G. (2020). Family-centered health promotion: Perspectives for engaging families and achieving better health outcomes. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 57, 004695802092353. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958020923537

Darraj, A., Mahfouz, M. S., Alsabaani, A., Sani, M., & Alameer, A. (2018). Assessment of sleep quality and its predictors among patients with diabetes in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, Volume 11, 523-531. https://doi.org/10.2147/dmso.s178674

Johnson, K., West, T., Diana, S., Todd, J., Haynes, B., Bernhardt, J., & Johnson, R. (2017). Use of aromatherapy to promote a therapeutic nurse environment. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 40, 18-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2017.01.006 . Health Promotion Discussion Questions.

Liu, K. T., Kueh, Y. C., Arifin, W. N., Kim, Y., & Kuan, G. (2018). Application of transtheoretical model on behavioral changes, and amount of physical activity among University’s students. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02402

Popovic, M. (2018). Bowen family systems theory. Marriage and Family Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1891/9780826161253.0003

Yazdanimehr, R., Omidi, A., Sadat, Z., & Akbari, H. (2016). The effect of mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy on depression and anxiety among pregnant women: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Caring Sciences, 5(3), 195-204. https://doi.org/10.15171/jcs.2016.021

Discussion questions

1. What are some stress relieving modalities you could help a patient incorporate into their daily routine?
2. What stress relieving modalities can you add into your daily routine to help assist with the daily stressors of work, school, social, family life, etc?
3. Is sleep really that important?! Tell me why you should collect a thorough history on a patient’s sleep behaviors (e.g. bedtime routine ritual, foods prior to bed, activities prior to bed, etc.). Helpful tips for the patient and proper sleep hygiene may require no medication at all!
4. Would you agree that one family members behaviors influence the behavior and coping mechanisms of the other family members? How can you as the APRN assist the family to cope with dysfunctional behaviors within the family. You may use an example if you choose.
5. How can an APN function in the role of coaching with a patient?
6. Have you ever used the Transtheoretical model of behavior change model? Describe how.  Health Promotion Discussion Questions.