Providing care for dementia patients takes patience and flexibility since they can become easily frustrated and agitated when simple daily tasks become difficult. PN Anderson can manage the daily task of all patients to ensure a productive and pleasing day. He takes his time with each patient and reminds or assists them as needed to complete their tasks as independently as possible. He involves them in their daily care and engages them to make decisions on everyday tasks such as clothing choices and daily activities. These two implications are important for dementia patients as this provides a sense of control during a time in their lives when they are losing physical control.
PN Anderson provides compassionate care for all patients who are enrolled in the NMRTC Guantánamo Bay Home Health program but most of his time is spent caring for a patient in the residential facility. During his short time here, PN Anderson has been instrumental in caring for one of our most verbally abusive and aggressive patients. As medical professionals, we know that the elderly can become one of the most difficult populations to care for. When this patient becomes verbally aggressive or attempts to be physically aggressive, PN Anderson not only keeps his emotions under control, but he engages the patient in a caring way that changes her demeanor and she becomes compliant with staff. His communication skills with this patient have resulted in compliance with performing activities of daily living without resistance in compliance with nurse guided daily exercise to improve the patient's mobility and strength. Every day she refuses to walk and wants to be pushed around in the wheelchair instead. PN Anderson motivates her to use her walker instead of the wheelchair and although she is yelling at him while she does her daily lap in the hallway, he maintains control of the situation to ensure her safety during her emotional outburst. He accomplishes this by not reacting to her emotional outburst, controlling his emotions, and talking her through her walk which results in her calming down. On her most difficult days, he motivates her to get up and get started with her day, his patience and caring demeanor diminishes her agitation and reassures her that he is there to help which results in a positive change in her attitude. With his passion for ensuring that we meet the patient where they are, he has assisted with training the corpsmen on how to engage this patient to build rapport and trust to enhance patient interaction and produce positive outcomes. When uncomfortable situations arise, he is always willing to assist and guide the corps staff to ensure that emotions are controlled to facilitate and guarantee compassionate care is being rendered despite the tension and that a situation has triggered.
The level of patience and compassion that he has displayed with this patient has not gone unnoticed by leadership or the patient. Whenever he is on shift, he willingly takes this patient as his assignment because he is aware of the level of care that she needs. When he is not assigned as her nurse this patient will always call out for him to assist her or for him to assist staff when needed. He has built an endearing relationship with her that displays all the qualities of extraordinary and compassionate nursing.
PN Anderson is truly a DAISY Nurse.