What benefits have you seen to palliative care? Why are pain and symptom management prioritized over spiritual and existential distress? What does the phrase “quality of life” mean to you?

What benefits have you seen to palliative care? Why are pain and symptom management prioritized over spiritual and existential distress? What does the phrase “quality of life” mean to you?

Afterwards please respond to two other discussion post each response should at least 10 sentences in length which will be as follows: 1)The notion of nursing as a “woman’s” profession is such an antiquated idea, yet it still prevails in our society to this day. The stigma surrounding male nurses, makes it difficult for nursing schools to recruit them into their programs. But many recruiters are trying to overcome these barriers by advertising the profession in a more masculine and inclusive manner.

For example, colleges are now putting more of their male students and other minority students on their pamphlets and brochures to attract them towards the profession, which is very important because representation matters. Students are more likely to pursue a profession when they see people who look similar to them working and studying in that profession (2017).

Universities have also tried to recruit more male students by advertising the opportunities for advancement in the nursing profession. Many men have the misconception that nurses are stuck at the bedside bathing patients all day, but there is so much more that a nurse does. And bedside nursing is not the end of the road, there is room for further education with higher paying jobs such as nurse practitioner, CRNA, education, leadership, and research. There are endless opportunities for growth, which is quite appealing to males.

Schools have also set up mentoring sessions for male students to reduce feelings of isolation in these female-dominated nursing programs. Creating a mentorship geared toward male nurses within the program shows prospective male students that they have an automatic support system once they enroll in the program, and with that support these male students are more likely to succeed and increase retention rates and NCLEX scores at that university (Rajacich, 2013).

2) then respond to this discussion post:It is very important for nurses to understand cultural differences. Each patient is coming from their own world. Each patient is complex and needs to be treated individually in a way that works for them. Culturally competent care “is measured by how well a patient’s needs are met regardless of the patient’s race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and language” (Roux & Halstead, 2018, p. 325). An obvious example of this is with language. A patient needs to understand their treatment plan. If English is not their preferred language, a translator needs to get involved to help explain what is going on. There are some diseases that are more prevalent in specific races. This is something to consider when caring for patients of diverse backgrounds. Some patients have cultural or religious beliefs that are very important to them. An effort should be made to respect these views and work within them as long as they are safe. This can help patients feel more comfortable and builds trust in the healthcare team. There are small things that are perceived of differently in different ethnic groups. Gestures or body language that many people assume have a universal meaning can mean the opposite to someone else. It is important to view patients in a holistic way and to maintain a non-judgmental attitude when caring for others.

There is a wide array of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Some therapies are definitely more controversial than others. Meditation, music therapy and support groups are holistic tools that can help patients without any real side effects. Many other modalities of CAM can be extremely beneficial. However, more care must be taken in researching and evaluating the patient safety. It is very important for nurses to explain to patients that they must disclose any and all supplements or herbs they are taking to their healthcare provider. Some home remedies can have serious interactions with other medications or cause significant effects that must be monitored. A common example of this is garlic. While it is commonly taken to lower blood pressure, it can increase bleeding time in a patient on anticoagulants (Cherry & Jacob, 2014). Many patients have found relief from acupuncture and biofeedback among many other popular alternative therapies. Most of the time these treatments are harmless, but it is always important to tell the physician about any other alternative therapies. Nurses can also get involved and even incorporate some of these methods into their care to help their patients further. However, the nurse must be cautious and practice within the scope of their license (Cherry & Jacob, 2014). With more research, CAM can become an even bigger part of our healthcare system.