Weekly Practicum Journal

Weekly Practicum Journal

According to the American Diabetes Association (n.d), the epidemic of Type II diabetes is linked to increased rates of obesity and overweight in the US populace. The CDC projects that even when the rates of diabetes level off, the next 20 years will see a doubling of incidences of diabetes partly because of the aging population. Also, Healthy People 2020 (n.d) asserts that effective therapy can help prevent or delay diabetic complications. Nonetheless, approximately 28% of Americans with diabetes are undiagnosed; 86 million Americans have elevated blood sugar levels, putting them at risk of becoming diabetic in the next few years. Complications of diabetes tend to be more adverse and common among persons with poorly controlled diabetes, thus making the disease a complex public health concern. Preventive measures must be put in place to get better health outcomes (Healthy People, n.d).

Last week I attended to a 66-year-old patient who, after having a conversation, realized he was a veteran. The patient had come in with a lesion on his foot that he said had ‘refused to heal on its own.’ The patient was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I asked the man where he lived and why he did not access care earlier than on this day and to determine if his environment was causing the slow recovery of the wound. I was saddened to learn that this veteran, though having US Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicaid coverage, did not have a place to call home. Although the burden of diabetes is often described in reference to its impact on the working age, among older adults, the disease is linked to higher mortality rates, a reduction in functional status, and a heightened risk of being institutionalized. Older persons with diabetes are at a high risk of chronic and acute cardiovascular and microvascular disease complications. Additionally, homeless people have no or limited access to healthcare services and are likely to suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes (ADA, n.d).

It is disheartening to have a person fight for the country and keep its peace only to return and find he has no home. I spent an additional 30 minutes attending to the patient talking to him, and listening to his story. Though I could not do much then, I told him I would have a coffee with him after my shift. Since that day, I have made it a habit to pass by his place and leave him with a coffee and doughnut. Meanwhile, I am working on getting him a stable place to live and, hopefully, a job. Nursing care goes beyond caring for wounds; it extends to holistically caring for the patient in any way we can.

Reference

American Diabetes Association (n.d). Diabetes in Older Adults.

https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/12/2650#:~:text=Although%20the%20burden%20of%20diabetes,risk%20of%20institutionalization%20(2).

Healthy People2020 (n.d). Diabetes. Healthy People.gov. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/diabetes?topicid=8

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

Weekly Practicum Journal

Your Weekly Practicum Journal is:

A personal, introspective subjective account of your practicum experience and how your practicum experience relates to Healthy People 2020 and course objectives. Include events that occurred in your practicum experience, and be sure to describe your thoughts and feelings about those events. How did your perceptions change? What did you learn that was unexpected? Describe your thinking about your thoughts and feelings regarding the new learning you experienced.
Connected to South University’s College of Nursing Conceptual Framework Pillars (Caring, Communication, Critical Thinking, Professionalism, and Holism)
Connected to prior coursework and experiences through reflective analysis.

Written in a scholarly, academic style using APA style format. Two or three sentences are not sufficient nor are daily logs/reports of activities.
As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format. Support your work, using your course lectures and textbook readings. Helpful APA guides and resources are available in the South University Online Library. Below are guides that are located in the library and can be accessed and downloaded via the South University Online Citation Resources: APA Style page. The American Psychological Association website also provides detailed guidance on formatting, citations, and references at APA Style.• APA Citation Helper
• APA Citations Quick Sheet
• APA-Style Formatting Guidelines for a Written Essay
• Basic Essay Template

References:

Weekly Practicum Journal

Blake, T. K. (2005). Journaling; An active learning technique. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 2 (1), Article 7. doi: 10.2202/1548-923X.1116

Ruth-Sahd, L. (2003). Reflective practice: A critical analysis of data-based studies and implications for nursing education. Journal of Nursing Education, 23(11), 488–497.

United States Department of Health and Human Services, Healthy People 2020. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=8