Among the essential human needs is the desire for respect and dignity. That need does not change for a person who is struggling with homelessness and disadvantaged. In the event that they got sick and ill, the need for care, compassion, and respect will always be present. The requirement for care can even be magnified, considering the humanizing effect of hospital care is more personalized and sometimes overshadow their healthcare needs. Such was the case of one patient we admitted to our unit. She came in with severe dehydration, malnutrition, and a change in mental status. On initial assessment, she is very unkempt. She has a plastic bag full of ruffled clothing and a pair of shoes that have seen much mileage. The look in her eyes states weariness that beckons much-needed rest and sleep. She kept dozing off during nursing interventions. However, the presence of food to fill her empty stomach always perks her up. As though she needed nourishment and nutrition more than medical attention. This is typical of our patients who are disadvantaged and experiencing homelessness. They require many things aside from the medical and nursing care in the healthcare setting. Often the prioritization entails the fulfillment of basic human needs first over symptomatology alleviation.
These scenarios and human needs are not new to Salema. She is aware of the implication of generating trust and establishing a relationship with a patient is needed for the provision of optimal care to a patient suffering from homelessness. The food and the drink request may be more than the usual than a typical patient, but she is aware that this is how to gain their compliance with treatment interventions. With hydration and electrolyte replenishment, the patient was back to her baseline, conversant, active, and full of life. Totally different from the person admitted a few days earlier. Many things can be said in the numerous interventions that Salema implemented just to bring the patient back to her pre-admission condition. But the most critical intervention, in this case, is the social care provided by Salema that invoked the delivery of compassionate care with respect and dignity that is every person's fundamental human right.
Salema played a critical role in the effective psychosocial assessment of the patient's needs upon discharge from the facility. Her skills and current knowledge of available resources, and the ability to convey self-worth and value to the patient, were all instrumental in enabling the patient to open up and confide in Salema about a preference for placement and immediate needs with her discharge. She was able to work with the patient to promote, maintain, and restore her health and dignity with the help and expertise from other disciplines such as the social worker and case manager in coordinating her discharge. On her day of discharge, Salema, cognizant of the limited clothing the patient had, immediately sought the help of co-workers who checked the closet of used clothing that the unit maintains from staff donations. She gathered lots of clothing, one of which immediately caught the patient's eyes, who requested that she use a floral dress on her day of discharge from the unit. The article of clothing that she had chosen could have reminded the patient of her stature when she could still provide for herself. To complement her dress, Salema braided her hair and soon set her up for discharge. As the patient surveyed herself in the mirror, she was overjoyed with her transformation. It was a reflection of herself when she is still capable of keeping a roof on herself. Her physical makeover brought her the confidence and courage to refuse the use of a wheelchair. She preferred to walk the hallway with pride and self-confidence, a feeling that she always seek and aspire for that Salema finally made a reality. As Salema walked the patient out of the unit, staff members cheered and wished her well.
It is in events like this that make a nurse special. It is that effort of taking the time to intervene through the multitier roles that nurses' function into that can create an impact on the life of any patient. With her efforts in assisting the patient and conveying acceptance and understanding of her situation, she sparked the patient to feel good about herself once again. Who knows, this may even serve as a catalyst for the patient to transform her life for the better.