Essay on Caregiver Assessment

INSTRUCTIONS:  Identify a caregiver from professional or personal experience and
conduct an interview. assesing the bio-psycho-social situation of the caregiver

Essay on Caregiver Assessment

The caregiver identified for this assessment works for a local hospital and primarily provides elderly care. As a caregiver, the interviewee primarily provides grooming assistance, sanitation assurance, meal preparation and serving, emergency services, basic therapy, and communication. There are also other functions that are being done as needed including errands and counselling. The subject caregiver has worked for the hospital for three years and has been providing care services in the last six years. She completed her Associate in Health degree and has been planning to continue studying at a local Community College.

The subject caregiver is physically fit and has only contacted minor illnesses. The caregiver mentioned that the hospital where is works for requires a twice a year medical check-up for all caregivers. The hospital is also strict in the experience of caregivers and it important that they are flexible and provides optimum costumer service. In terms of qualifications, the subject has worked for various hospitals and has handled all type of clients from children to elderly. Most of her clients have been suffering from lingering ailments. Despite the caregiver’s exposure to these patients, she has maintained good health through strict following of precautionary measures and living a healthy lifestyle. The caregiver also stressed the importance of having life outside the confines of the hospital. During her off days, the caregiver participates in fun runs and other similar activities. Also, the caregiver finds time to undergo yoga sessions to further boost her readiness in doing a caregiver’s job.

One of the questions asked to the caregiver was her view of the role she is playing. She replied that her work is more than a simple five-to-eight job. She believes that her responsibility extends beyond the normal care requirements of the patients. According to the caregiver, she comes from a closely-knitted family and have remained in contact with parents and siblings. Her upbringing has helped her understand the needs of her patients. Among caregivers, it is important that they can empathize to the feelings of the patients. Most of them are in the twilight of their lives and are rarely visited by their love ones. The caregiver shared that there was once when she had to take the role of her patient’s daughter. This was done because the patient would only take medicine if he daughter would serve it. Such situation was one of the many instances when the subject caregiver went beyond her responsibilities. The caregiver believes that each patient has different situations and issues that needed to be properly handled. Caregivers provide the emotional care that is usually lacking in medicines provided by doctors.

 The subject caregiver stated that it is difficult to separate her social life from her work. There are times when dealing with patients become so difficult that even seasoned caregivers have a hard time. Sometimes, the subject would become so affected by the state of her patients that she would need seldom breaks from work. But the subject maintained that it is not right to discuss the conditions of her patients to other people. Aside from the usual confidentiality issues, it is the right of the patients for privacy. The subject commented that there were times when the family members of the patients would ask for updates. But she has maintained that no information will be provided without the consent of the hospital. The best the caregiver could provide is to assist in the process of acquiring that information. She also tried her best not to share the nuances of her work even to her family and friends. The goal is to leave all work within the confines of the hospital.

The interview was done through phone and with the aid of a questionnaire from the American Medical Association. Based on the information gathered, physical fitness and emotional readiness are vital for any caregiver. The varying conditions of the patients and the lack of support from the family further challenges caregivers in adequately doing their jobs.

References

American Medical Association. “Caregiver Self-Assessment.” 30 June 2013, <http://www.ama-

assn.org//ama/pub/physician-resources/public-health/promoting-healthy-lifestyles/geriatric-health/caregiver-health/caregiver-self-assessment.page>

BUY ESSAY ON CAREGIVER ASSESSMENT NOW!

This is a sample Essay on Caregiver Assessment from smartessaywriters.com – the leading provider of reliable and affordable essay writing services and research paper writing services in the United States and the United Kingdom