Blog # 19: Answer 2

EQ =
-What is the most important skill in becoming a successful elderly care activity coordinator.

Answer 2 =
-To provide emotional/physical help in elderly patients, activity coordinator must assess the patients individually.

Evidence =
-Whenever senior patients go inside the activities room we put them in certain groups/tables so we can keep track of who are diabetic, have Alzheimer's, normal, can't stand on their own, got stroke, etc. Then one day, The group that always stand a lot, one of them actually acted as if he was trying to stand up because his holding the arm of the wheel chair. So we all thought it was normal, then one of the volunteers noticed that his other hand was actually holding his chest. Later on, we found out he was having mild stroke. After that incident, we learned our lesson "Always assess each patient and not assume as if they are all the same" because even if they have same conditions, it could always change in any second.
-I also noticed that talking to senior patients as a whole or just by observing them, you won't be able to figure out their needs because most of them looks just fine. Typical senior citizen in wheel chairs. Unless you get to actually talk to them (asking questions) and looking at their medical history. Because they may look fine on the outside but if you get to assess them individually you will realize they're dealing with more serious problem.
-It says on the book " Nursing Skills and Concepts" 9th Ed. by Barbara K. Timby, having one on one assessment with the patient will help nurses to relate on the patient's emotional/physical condition and the nurse will gain trust from the patient. By doing this, it will be easier for the nurse to help the patient get cured or cope up with their illness because the patent will most likely cooperate.

Source = 
- My service learning ( Inland Valley care and rehab facility ). Just by working there every weekends helped me understand and experience what it takes to become a activity coordinator.
- My service learner (Gabriel Olea) and my interview 3 (Maria Navarro). Both of them told me that its very important to get to know more of the patient's case so we can  improve our way of helping them as an individual.
- Book called " Nursing Skills and Concepts" 9th Ed. by Barbara K. Timby. I read on chapter 7 that client-nurse relationship, one on one assessment, helps the nurse keep track of the patient and decide what health related activities can be done to help the patient get cure or if its not curable, help them cope up and accept there new situation.