THINK CRITICALLY AND ANSWER:

1. What gerontological nursing competencies seem to be absent from the practice of the
nurses Nurse Haley describes?

According to Oyentude M. et al, their study shows that 73.0% of the respondents agreed that
elderly is difficult to care for. But that shouldn’t be the case, because as mentioned on nurses’
pledge as “to practice my profession faithfully”. In this case effective care of the elderly requires
special training, provision of geriatric ward, adequate staffing to reduce stress and improve
quality care.

Majorly, the competencies that the nurses seem to lack are the following: Nurses have prior and
subsequent information on normal and abnormal changes and findings in the older adult. But
they tend to lack of full understanding on these changes that might have resulted to “certain
tendencies”. And that they don’t even feel they have sedate lives because what they actually
feel is “unwantedness, worthless and financial consuming as to staying in a hospital. Added to
this is their failed engagement to older adult in all aspects of care to the maximum extent
possible. They have been more psychologically supportive for the patients to open their concern
lend them some ear for them to feel that someone is able to hear them and attend to them.
Socially accepted for them not to feel unwanted and letting them discuss with you some general
topics. They failed to properly use their objective and subjective information and lack of patient
education on how must the patient cope up to their addressed problem that may be discussed
as a nurse patient relationship rather than having it spilled to others. Because they might also
feel “shame” for themselves. As a nurse, one of the said roles is to be an educator, but they
failed it because did not to inquire about their lifestyles and preferences. They must learn this
basic information because this might serve as a barrier and even as a complication in providing
care. Like use of herbal medicines, usage of substances (if ever) and mobility.

In short, they have the right to be respected as a patient and as an elderly who is suffering from
many wanted and unwanted changes. Where in as a nurse it his/her responsibility to advocate
and protect the rights of the older person and assist to fulfill living and care needs. That is why
there is need for continuing education on quality care to improve nursing practice in the care of
the elderly. Like special trainings and seminars because actually it is the nurses that lack
compassion and psychologic strength to handle the patients with more understanding and
“patience”.
2. What are some of the factors that could have contributed to the nurses’ behaviors?

Their patience and repeating episodes of incidences, it may have gone to the point that they’ve
gone tired and took things as granted for same things actually happen. Also, maybe their
personal stress from their personal lives like their private love life, family and even spiritually.
Also, the nurses’ unreasonable wages, for nurses are basically underpaid with their tons of
workload. Added to this are the nurse-patient ration that is unpredictably true. And that financial
is one of the common sources of common problems and that leads to stress and even
depression. Maybe some factors are those unseen events like accidents and sickness that
nurses experience. That despite of being sick as long as you can still do and go then must
undergo. But majorly, or in general those factors all contribute to one basic factor which is the
psychologic status of the nurse.

3. How should Nurse Haley address the problems she observes to promote good
gerontological nursing practice?

To gather information and observe for things to address and how to successfully address
this concern. Second is for all of them to discuss that this kind of concern exist. And that all
together is voluntarily willing to undergo this process on having their gerontological nursing
practice BETTER. How? Generally, by these three processes…

First, must be patient-oriented instead of task-oriented. Know what your patient needs not
just by proving care that is tasked. “I think the biggest mistake nurses make in their
caregiving is becoming ‘task-oriented’ and losing connection with the patient,” Kathleen
Lattavo. We are constantly thinking about everything else we need to do, when we should
concentrate on the present encounter, give it our undivided attention to the elderly patients
and then move on from there. One vital that process on integration is communication as to
elderly. That is why secondly, focus on communication and connection. Striving to be a
better nurse involves improving your interpersonal skills as well as your clinical skills. Elderly
need to know that we care about them for them not to feel unwanted and may give distance
to your nurse-patient relationship. And most importantly, hone your skills like in teaching,
administering medication, socializing, assessments, interventions and others. Nurses must
show confidence in their abilities and take the time to dutifully convey information to patients
so they understand their conditions and the interventions available to them. Through the use
of soft skills and therapeutic communication, nurses can effectively communicate with
others and boost patient satisfaction.