Problems Faced by Patients and Relatives in Coping with Illness

· It is important to deal with the illness on a physical, emotional &
spiritual level.

Compliance with Rx

· Problems identified as causing failure of adherence to clinical
advice:

o No named doctor being in charge of patients care.

o No named nurse being in charge of patients care.

o Being in pain most or all of the time.

o Not being told on discharge when to resume their normal activities.

· Factors in communication which improve patients’ adherence to
clinical advice:

o Clinician understands the patient.

o Clinician’s tone of voice.

o Clinician elicits all the patient’s health concerns.

o Patient is comfortable asking questions.

o Patient perceives that sufficient time is spent with the clinician.

· Health outcomes depend on the extent to which patients adhere to
their clinical advice.

· Correctable factors are all matters of communication: letting
patients know why their Rx is being given & what benefits they stand
to gain, what pros & cons there may be, what options exist, & doing so
in a ways which builds trust & collaboration.

Adjustment to loss & bereavement

· Phases of bereavement – shock, distress, adjustment, moving on.

Legal & ethical issues relating to consent to Rx

· Doctors seeking consent for a particular procedure must be competent
in the knowledge of how the procedure is performed & its problems.

· For agreement to Rx to be legally accepted it must meet 3
conditions:

o Consent must be informed to an adequate standard.

o Patients must be competent to consent to Rx.

o Patients must not be coerced into accepting Rx against their wishes.

· It is unlawful battery to intentionally touch a competent patient
without their consent.

· Rx can be given legally to adult patients without consent if they
are temporarily or permanently incompetent to provide it & Rx is
necessary to save their life, or to prevent them from incurring
serious &... [continues]

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