Question

1. Why is it important for a health care provider to examine his or her own core beliefs?

2. How can you use your knowledge about developmental stages to communicate with the pediatric patient?
3. Why are obese patients at risk for airway obstruction during surgery?

4. Explain the following statement: The person is not the disease.

5. List some strategies for communicating with patients who have limited understanding of English.

Answer 1

1. Patient-centered care is of utmost importance in bringing successful outcomes. A healthcare provider hence must be respectful towards the patient’s preferences, beliefs, and values, while being provided with treatment. For this, a health care provider must examine his or her own core beliefs.

Core beliefs are one’s views that he holds as true, and decide how he views or perceives the world. They are important is ensuring overall success as they influence approaches and behaviors. Understanding of health concepts is influenced by culture, ethnic customs, etc. This can in turn influence decision making. Thus, a healthcare provider might deliver a medical advice based on his own beliefs which may affect the treatment procedure. For this, a healthcare provider must not only develop understanding one’s own belief but also be aware of patient’s values and norms. This enables the healthcare provider to identify the gap between his and the patient’s views and provide treatment accordingly which are acceptable to both the parties.

A shared understanding is of prime importance in patient care. Moreover, by examining his/her own views a healthcare provider can avoid poor decision making, identify any ethical challenges and come to a logical conclusion. This also enables a healthcare provider to maintain respect of his patients and thus develop a strong bond with him.

A healthcare provider may also need to keep aside certain faith, beliefs, and opinions he has especially when dealing with patients who do not follow his own personal beliefs. Hence, it is important to respect their values and principles so as to provide truthful and respectful treatment and in turn have successful outcomes.

2. Child development is the sequence of biological, physical, psychological and emotional changes that begins at birth and continues through adolescence. An understanding of developmental stages is important while dealing with pediatric patients. This enables healthcare providers to have improved communication skills, build relationship with the patient, and cater to their unique needs. A healthcare provider may also need to come to the level of the child in order to communicate with him.

Since techniques adopted for children tend to change from stage to stage, it is highly essential for the healthcare provider to have knowledge on developmental stages. There are several milestones a child achieve during child development. They include physical, cognitive, social and emotional as well as language milestones. For treating pediatric patients, developmentally appropriate principles must be adopted based on the knowledge of developmental stages. Development screening which involves a series of questions and observations is used in inferring whether a child is able to accomplish age appropriate tasks. Any developmental delays can be identified using this. This enables him to refer the patient to a specialist which can help the child to progress in life.

Some of the communication skills that a healthcare provider might achieve with the knowledge of developmental stages include:

• Distracting the infants.
• Using playful techniques
• Using appropriate age specific languages.
• Addressing the child
• For school going/adolescent child, ask him about problems rather than the parents

All these are helpful in identifying and assessing the problem and proposing treatment plans.

Thus, knowledge about developmental stages is very important to communicate with the pediatric patient.