Mate

Open Source Handbook of Nursing/Health Perception and Management

Health Perception and management

The principle of wellness has been ingrained in nursing theory since Dorothea Orem publishedher work on self care. The nurses perception of the clients health status and the clients perception of their own health are not identical. For example, the client may have been born with a majordisability but regard this as normal for them. Consequently some clients seek nursing attention far more or less readily than health professionals might expect.
Health management refers to the clientsbehavior in relation to their own health. Some clients will seek nursing attention at the slightest excuse because they view health issues with great concern. Other clients at the other end of the extremewill avoid nursing attention at all cost (e.g. clients with paranoid tendencies will regard health assessment as invasive). The bulk of nursing contacts will be in between these extremes, but clientshealth-seeking behavior needs to be respected throughout the nursing relationship.
The first contact between nurse and client is often during the initial interview when the nurse will obtain ahistory from the client and collateral data from other sources such as relatives, existing records and allied agencies. The following questions could be asked by the nurse to provide an overview of theindividuals subjective health history and health practices that are used to reach the current level of health or wellness. Generally well? Regular exercise? Any absences from work/school? Importantthings to keep healthy? Use drugs (eg Caffeine, nicotine) Perform self exams at intervals i.e. Breast/testicular self-examination? Accidents? What do you think caused current illness? Why have you askedfor an assessment? What actions have you taken since symptoms started? Does anything alleviate the symptom or make it worse?
A client with optimal health seeking behavior will take steps to maintain...