NRS-434 Health Assessment: Benchmark – Human Experience across the Health-Illness Continuum

NRS-434 Health Assessment: Benchmark – Human Experience across the Health-Illness Continuum

NRS-434 Health Assessment: Benchmark – Human Experience across the Health-Illness Continuum

Benchmark – Human Experience across the Health-Illness Continuum

The concepts of health and illness are considered integral to the contemporary nursing paradigm. Alderson (2021) mentioned that whilst patients tend to place more attention on the prioritization and valuing of health, healthcare practitioners have an important responsibility for enabling them to reduce or avoid detrimental health state. Similar sentiments are shared by Cooper and Gosnell (2019) who argued that a better understanding of the etymology of health and illness can prove instrumental in creating a better understanding of the experiences of people across the health-illness continuum. Ward (2019) pointed out the health-illness continuum has been extensively used in nursing practice to provide a graphical representation of the interconnection of health, illness, treatment and wellness, and hence the its ultimate relevance is based on how it draws a line of demarcation between health and illness as experienced by a particular patient. In this paper, strong emphasis is placed on examining the practical importance of the Health-Illness Continuum, and its application to understanding the inter-relationships between the various variables shaping the states of health and illness.

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Importance of the Health-Illness Continuum

First proposed in 1972 by John W. Travis, the health-Illness continuum has been extensively utilized in different healthcare settings to educate patients and other users on the trajectory of their health. Roberts (2019) mentioned that the health-illness continuum is an important tool designed to enable nurses and other healthcare practitioners determine one’s position on the continuum as influenced by his/her mental health condition, physical health condition, emotional health, social health, spiritual wellbeing and environmental health. Moreover, Ghafouri (2017) pointed out the whilst a shift to the right of the continuum reveals more superior health and wellbeing, moving to the left of the health-illness continuum is often considered a sign of deteriorating health and wellbeing. As a result, the importance of this tool is based on how it illustrates the numerous states of health and illness (fluctuating from extremely good health to poor health and even death). Ward (2019) argued that good health is associated with a healthy lifestyle that encompasses consuming balanced and nutritional diet, involvement in regular physical activity, cessation of unhealthy habits including cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and other behaviors that exposes the individual to higher health risks and diseases. In the context of chronic diseases, the health-illness continuum can be used to explain the processes of change associated with exposure to unhealthy lifestyle and other risk factors behind the occurrence of certain diseases including obesity, cancer, and hypertension, among others (Cassell, 2020). Roberts (2019) insisted that a better understanding of the health-illness continuum can prove instrumental in fostering effective functioning and adaptation, even in the manifestation of severe, life-changing health conditions such as diabetes.  Therefore, healthcare practitioners including nurses can employ the health-illness continuum to evaluate the patients’ health status, and to develop and implement a patient-centered, evidence-driven healthcare plan to suit the distinct needs and requirements of identified service-users.

Image 1: Health-Illness Continuum (Alderson, 2021)

Relation of the Continuum to Value, Dignity, and Promoting of Human Flourishing

Research has shown that the promotion and realization of human flouring is central to securing good health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Alderson (2021) indicated that the attainment of high-level health and wellbeing should remain at the center of healthcare delivery and hence human flourishing encompasses the highest-level of optimal health. In this context, healthcare practitioners must focus on gaining a superior comprehension of the key factors responsible for affecting the health and wellbeing of individuals, and to determine the inter-relationships among these factors when planning and offering care. Ward (2019) established that human flourishing is centered on high-level of functioning in the 6 aspects of personal health namely physical health, emotional health, social health, mental health, environmental health and spiritual health), and hence the promotion of dignity, value and flourishing of patients must be inspired by the greater need to enable individuals to attain a higher level on the health-illness continuum.

Reflection on Personal State of Health and the Health-Illness Continuum

Personally, my health status can be described to be relatively satisfactory. Besides my young age, I consider myself healthy in terms of personal wellbeing and I have not experienced or been diagnosed with any acute or chronic condition or disease. Whilst I have recently experienced episodes of low energy, tiredness, fatigue and mood swings, I can attribute these health-related changes to the stressful situations surrounding my academic life. Therefore, whilst key behaviors such as involvement in regular exercising sessions, dietary modifications in favor of healthy foods, discipline, and peer socialization truly supports my personal wellbeing and health, others such as over-working, insomnia, boredom and states of anxiety negatively affects my productivity and state of wellness (Ghafouri, 2017).

Resources Supporting Wellness

Any attempt to attain optimal health must be supported by a range of engagements and resources. Research findings indicated that I need to made behavioral modifications related to participation in regular physical activity, dietary changes, build regular sleep cycles, invest in time management, avoid or manage stressful situations such as handling my academic assignments on time (Alderson, 2021). Moving on the higher-level of the health-illness continuum can become a viable means through which I can attain an optimal balance between external and internal environment, and to position myself on the journey to achieving positive improvements in sense of self-esteem (feelings of self-worth, self-confidence and self-respect) in both my personal and professional life (Cassell, 2020).

Conclusion

The health-illness continuum is extensively used by healthcare professionals to educate patients and other service users on the greater need for attaining optimal health and avoiding illness and diseases. Personally, the relevance of the continuum is based on how it informs my understanding of the need to ensure a proper balance of all the aspects of human health and wellbeing including emotional health, social health, physical health, environmental health, mental health and spiritual health.

References

Alderson, P. (2021). Health and illness research: Value-free or value-Laden? Critical Realism for Health and Illness Research, 95-126. https://doi.org/10.1332/policypress/9781447354550.003.0005

Cassell, E. J. (2020). Suffering in chronic illness. Politics and the Human Body, 118-139. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv176kvgn.12

Cooper, K., & Gosnell, K. (2019).Foundations of Nursing. New York: Elsevier.

Ghafouri, R. (2017). Dignity-centered care model: An attempt to maintain mutual dignity between the patient and the health system. Ambient Science, 04(Sp1, & 02). https://doi.org/10.21276/ambi.2017.04.sp1.ga03

Roberts, D. (2019). Whose conception of human flourishing? Human Flourishing in an Age of Gene Editing, 201-211. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190940362.003.0015

Ward, C. D. (2019). Between sickness and health. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429489754

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Assessment Description
Research the health-illness continuum and its relevance to patient care. In a 750-1,000 word paper, discuss the relevance of the continuum to patient care and present a perspective of your current state of health in relation to the wellness spectrum. Include the following:

Examine the health-illness continuum and discuss why this perspective is important to consider in relation to health and the human experience when caring for patients.
Explain how understanding the health-illness continuum enables you, as a health care provider, to better promote the value and dignity of individuals or groups and to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing.
Reflect on your overall state of health. Discuss what behaviors support or detract from your health and well-being. Explain where you currently fall on the health-illness continuum.
Discuss the options and resources available to you to help you move toward wellness on the health-illness spectrum. Describe how these would assist in moving you toward wellness (managing a chronic disease, recovering from an illness, self-actualization, etc.).
You are required to cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assesses the following competency:

RN-BSN

5.1. Understand the human experience across the health-illness continuum.

Please see the Rubric

Criteria Description
Health-Illness Importance to Health and Patient Care (C5.1)

5. Excellent
22 points
A discussion on the importance of the health-illness continuum in relation to health and the human experience in patient care is presented. The discussion demonstrates that the health-illness continuum is important to patient care. Strong rationale is offered for support.

Criteria Description
Relation of Human-Illness Continuum to Value, Dignity, and Promotion of Human Flourishing

5. Excellent
22 points
A thorough explanation of the relationship between the health-illness continuum and the ability of a health care provider to promote the value, dignity, and flourishing of patients is logically and convincingly presented. The explanation draws clear connections between the role of the health care provider and the promotion of human flourishing. Strong rationale is offered for support.

Refection on Personal State of Health and the Health Illness Continuum Newyork

5. Excellent
22 points
A well-developed discussion of personal state of health is included. The discussion demonstrates strong personal insight into behaviors supporting or detracting from health and well-being. The author clearly establishes where personal health falls on the health-illness continuum.

Resources Supporting Wellness

5. Excellent
22 points
Options and resources available that would be extremely helpful to help the author move toward wellness on the health-illness continuum are presented. The author clearly establishes how these will assist in moving toward wellness. Insight into wellness as it pertains to the health illness continuum is demonstrated.

Thesis Development and Purpose

5. Excellent
5.5 points
Thesis is comprehensive and contains the essence of the paper. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.

Argument Logic and Construction

5. Excellent
5.5 points
Clear and convincing argument that presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative.

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)

5. Excellent
5.5 points
Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.

Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)

5. Excellent
2.2 points
All format elements are correct.

Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style)

5. Excellent
3.3 points
Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.
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