Jessica's Therapeutic Relationship

The role of a community nurse is to undertake a wide range of responsibilities that encompass health promotion, disease management, community development and public health activities and deliver high quality nursing care across the lifespan (Arnott, Atherley & Pye, 2012). In order to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes for the patient, the nurse should ensure that the individual needs and choices of the patient are placed at the centre of the process (Arnott, Atherley & Pye, 2012).
The therapeutic relationship is made up of three core components which include empathy, genuineness and acceptance (Arnott, Atherley & Pye, 2012). Therefore, it is essential that the nurse establish a rapport with Jessica from the initial visit, as if
The nurse should undertake a psychosocial assessment on Jessica, including a mini mental exam to provide an overall holistic assessment of Jessica’s life and determine her current quality of life (Falvo, 2008). This is important as Jessica is at risk of developing psychological issues due to ineffective coping related to her chronic diseases of epilepsy and diabetes, such as the demanding self-care regimen of those diseases and the uncertainty of her future while living with these conditions (Carpenito, 2012). In particular, people with epilepsy can experience psychosocial and psychological challenges, such as disabling anxiety over the uncertainty of reoccurring seizures, the associated feelings of embarrassment due to bystander’s misconceptions of a seizure, and experiences of lack of control over one’s life and behaviour (Falvo,
Jessica’s non-adherence with her current diabetes management plan is also an important concern for the nurse to address in the follow up visit. Jessica’s current self-management of her diabetes is a major concern, as it could be related to a knowledge deficit associated with her condition resulting in the poor self-monitoring of her BGL’s (Carpenito, 2012; Whittemore, 2014).
When patients with DM do not adapt to their condition or fear social isolation due to their condition, they may endeavour to conceal their disease, ignore their dietary restrictions and abandon their management plan (Falvo, 2008). Therefore, It is the nurses role to educate Jessica on the importance of having a firm understanding of her condition, and understanding the importance of the frequency of blood glucose monitoring and the suitable times to ensure her BGL remains within the recommended levels (Bussell,