Text #1
Considering the theory of unpleasant symptoms as a guide is crucial when developing an evaluation instrument for patient symptoms. Distress and negative experiences may result from symptoms according to this theory, potentially impacting an individual’s well-being overall. The capturing of multidimensional aspects of symptoms and their effects on patients should be the main goal when creating an effective assessment tool
To start with, incorporating a comprehensive range of symptom domains is key for the assessment tool. Including physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms in evaluations is highlighted as essential in Zhao’s study (2019). This guarantees that the tool includes the various encounters patients may have, enabling a comprehensive comprehension of symptom load. By recording symptoms like pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances, an all-inclusive look at the patient’s symptom profile can be given by the tool. Using this can enable healthcare providers to make better-informed decisions about treatment options.
The tool should also determine how symptoms impact patients’ daily activities. The theory of unpleasant symptoms stresses the interconnected nature of symptom distress and functional impairment. Hence, a productive evaluation will investigate how symptoms disrupt activities, relationships, and the overall quality of life. Cancer distress screening tools that help quantify the impact of symptoms on patients’ functioning offer a valuable resource (Ehlers et al., 2019).
In brief, an evaluation instrument to assess patient symptoms that follows the theory of unpleasant symptoms should comprise a comprehensive range of symptom domains. In assessing symptoms, the subjective impact they have on patients’ daily lives should not be overlooked. Such a tool can assist in comprehending the overall burden of symptoms by capturing their multidimensional aspects and effects. This permits healthcare professionals to offer customized interventions and aid to patients.
This week student learning outcome that were:
· Critically analyze the philosophical underpinnings of nursing theories.
· Critique nursing’s conceptual models, grand theories, and mid-range theories.
· Construct a nursing theory that represent current professional nursing.
References
Zhao, J. (2022). Is there such a thing as a symptom cluster: the paradigm shift in symptom science requires a philosophical reflection. Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing, 9(5).
Ehlers, S. L., Davis, K., Bluethmann, S. M., Quintiliani, L. M., Kendall, J., Ratwani, R. M., … & Graves, K. D. (2019). Screening for psychosocial distress among patients with cancer: implications for clinical practice, healthcare policy, and dissemination to enhance cancer survivorship. Translational behavioral medicine, 9(2), 282-291.
Text #2
The Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms addresses the variability and dimensionality of symptoms, the relationships and the influence between them. Through this theory, it is studied how the development of a symptom is preceded by the influence of factors physiological, psychological and situational.
Theorists saw how physical, psychological, and situational factors can influence the symptoms reported by the patient or individual. They begin a theoretical model emphasizing the link between the multiple symptoms and the elements that could impact them, as well as their potentiating nature in daily practice. The Theorist observe this model and the progress of the mid-range theory and its influence, contributing and enriching the growth path of Nursing science, to make it more practical and dynamic and enabling a theoretical resource in the nursing care.
When analyzing it was verified that the definitions are used in a mature, consistent manner and present interrelationships. We see that a symptom or group of symptoms can affect the experience of other symptoms and the association of physiological, psychological and situational factors with each other and with the symptoms per se; the factors that are most related will be the influence on the most unpleasant symptoms; the proportions of the symptoms are influenced by each other. A negative performance has reciprocal relationships both with symptoms and with the connection between unpleasant symptoms, impacting by factors equally.
The reflection facilitated by this study should help nurses in the daily practice of patient care, enabling the use of the principles of this theory in the implementation of the Nursing Process, the nursing diagnosis and helping to improve the quality of the care that has been implemented in all health institutions. Taking into consideration the relevance of the studies in this perspective, it is the possibility of using the knowledge acquired with the analysis of this Theory in clinical practice, recognizing the aspects surrounding the symptom experienced by the patient, their state physical, psychological and the dimensions that influence this symptom and the entire disease process in the provision of care.
The theoretical support reflects the relevance of nurses in knowing the dimensions of the symptoms as well as their relationships, interactions and precipitating factors that support the building of successful non-pharmacological interventions, promote quality. of nursing care. It is necessary to carry out new studies to analyze the effective of the Theory.
1-Lenz ER, Gift A, Pugh L, Milligan RA. Theory of unpleasant symptoms. 2019.
2-Ramalho Neto JM, Nursing Theories Evaluation: integrative review. Rev Bras. Enferm . 2016.
