Patient’s Psychological and Emotional needs Suffering from Stroke: Research Paper

Psychological and Emotional needs of Persons Suffering from Stroke.

A stroke is essentially the severely damaging effect of a sudden disruption of blood to part of the brain due to bleeding or blockage. The impact of a stroke on the brain can be tragic, causing loss of memory or thinking difficulties, loss of speech, and paralysis (Williams, Perry, & Watkins, 2019). Consequently, stroke affects the lives of patients in various ways. For example, brain injury may affect the patient’s ability to interact with others, drive or get around the community, speak and write, handle money, use the phone, do housework, use the toilet, get dressed, bathe, and eat.

The disorders caused by a stroke affect not only the patient but also have dramatic effect on family members. First, they will face an almost unimaginable change; the household needs to develop a new lifestyle incorporating the impact of the patient’s stroke (Williams et al., 2019). For example, siblings may be required to supervise one another, or the youngsters may have to take care of their parents. The household may experience unanticipated alterations in the income level if the family’s breadwinner is the one affected. Last but not least, depression, anger, guilt, grief, helplessness, shock, and confusion are some feelings that family members may experience.

Due to the impact that stroke has on the patient and their families, the nurses must provide psychosocial care, which entails meeting the psychological and emotional needs of the patient. For example, nurses can encourage family-centered palliative care by working openly with patients and their families. In this regard, the nurse’s role includes informing objectives as preferences and needs change and sponsoring referrals to spiritual care, social services, and counseling (Lutz & Green, 2016). Additional roles entail carefully evaluating the patient for distress and recommending symptom management to the care team, categorizing possible palliative care requirements, and including patients and their families in decisions and discussions regarding treatment.

References

Lutz, B. J., & Green, T. (2016). Nursing’s role in addressing palliative care needs of stroke patients. Stroke, 47(12). doi: 10.1161/strokeaha.116.013282.

Williams, J., Perry, L., & Watkins, C. (2019). Stroke nursing. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.