The Role of Nurses in Improving Quality of Life for Patients

Patient care refers to the care a patient receives at one or a particular medical facility. Health care is the management or care of health through the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, care of injury, illness, disease, and other mental and physical impairments in humans. Health care providers deliver health care and are supervised by specialist health care professionals. The patient’s medical records are maintained by the patient’s doctor or health care provider.

The objectives of patient care to include prevention of diseases, maintenance of health and wellness, maintenance of productivity, reduction of costs, development of new knowledge and techniques, expansion of services and specialization of professionals, and improvement of patient’s lives. Patient care gives priority to safety and quality of treatment and avoids delay or unnecessary trauma to patients. All health care providers are required by law to have approved policies for safe patient care and outcomes. This means that patients’ individual records are kept confidential and patients are able to access their records at their own convenience.

The primary focus of patient care should be to identify and take care of the problems or preventative medical conditions. When the disease has been diagnosed, the patient needs to be educated and informed about his/her condition. Treatment consists of interventions designed to manage or control the disease, including medication, surgery, medical procedures, therapy, and care management such as counseling, social work, or psychological therapy. Aftercare is an important component of patient care, comprising assessment, counseling, and follow up visits to prevent relapse.

Patient safety is promoted through a sound process for patient safety and implementation of recommended standards. The results of successful patient care and outcomes depend on the whole-practice view of quality practice, including prevention, early detection, and treatment of complications. A health care system should be able to provide quality health care and outcomes in a safe environment. Prevention is defined as the ability to avoid diseases or injury. Early detection refers to the ability to diagnose and monitor conditions before they cause damage.

Although health care providers face many challenges in patient care, they also have opportunities for improvement, such as promoting better communication, developing relationships with patients, developing tools for prevention, and maintaining quality of care. Health care providers have to work with all parties to ensure smooth patient care and high quality outcomes. Sometimes, this requires comprehensive systems that integrate all aspects of patient care. For example, in coordinating health care delivery, hospital information technology systems play a critical role.

Nurses take care of the sickest patients and make sure that they remain healthy until they recover. They are an integral part of a patient’s recovery team and are essential for the safety and proper care of patients. Patients who suffer from serious diseases often require intensive care during the period of recovery. Nurses work to improve their overall health and the quality of their lives. They are an important part of patient care in rehabilitation centers, doctors’ offices, nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, nursing schools and rehabilitation centers across the country. The demand for nurses is expected to grow substantially in the next decade as more people are born and older people experience problems associated with old age.