Preparations for Life Support Care – Term Paper

Life has a lot of uncertainties and emergencies. In today’s society, some diseases bring a halt to life with the certainty of the time left of survival. The end of life conditions needs specialized and intensive care. It does not mean that the patient did not receive care previously. However, in this case, they require more attention and pluvial care. I have not participated in life support care before. Therefore, I purpose to give a guide on how I have prepared for the same. The paper will include both physical and emotional preparedness. Since one has to be cautious to make the patient or our loved ones happy, it is important to get ready on how to achieve the happiness. The following are among the factors that I look forward to considering and put forth if the event arises at a point of life. 

Firstly, I purpose to identify and understand the needs of the end of life care. Through research and consulting knowledgeable people, it is identifiable that different type of illnesses requires a different kind of attention. Despite having years of experience, it is still challenging to give care, especially for a patient in the last stages of life according to some of the caregivers. It is for this reason that it is highly valuable to identify the needs of the patient (Bedworth, pg 82-96). Depending on different patients, they may have varying demands to be met during the process. For example, some patient may wish to stop their ongoing treatment like drugs. The patient may request to receive care from their homes rather than a hospital. It is important that their desire is met if it is clearly stated. Additionally, besides having not stated their preferences or if their state cannot allow them to declare them, it is important that my actions be structured to what is believed to satisfy her best.

On identifying the patient’s needs, in some instances, it is notable that the patient may be in so much pain. To relieve such pain, I would consider consulting the doctor on the best approach to reducing the pain. During this time, it advocated that the patient should be offered an ample time with reduced stress (Bedworth, pg 121-135). Therefore the right pain relief medicine can be given. The medication should be according to the doctor prescriptions. Most importantly, I would procure the emergency health kit depending on the illness. The emergency kit will help give first aid to the patient in case her situation may get worse. Additionally, I would seek professional assistance on training on the use of the tools and the equipment in the kit. Therefore it will be easy to administer the right care to the patient without compromise. 

On physical preparedness, I would ensure that full-time availability to a great capacity. Since the patient, in this case, requires assistance and efficient care, it is important to be present at this point of life. Some of the patients may be limited to walk, talk, eat and perform our daily life activities. It is thus important to be available so that the right care is administered. If full-time availability is a limit due to factors life job demands and other responsibilities, it is important to ensure that someone is available to give support. Among persons who can participate in the caregiving process include the family members, professional caregivers, and trusted individuals. It is important that a mature and responsible person should be assigned the role. Otherwise, the necessary support and attention may not be administered. 

Besides the practical and assistance support, offering dignity and comfort to the patient is valuable. However, some of the patient’s memory may be depleted, gracing them with reasonable care is important. The capacity to get happy, sad, peace or frightened remains intact. Therefore one has to be cautious not to cause any discomfort. It is, for this reason, I would offer a close, honest care that provides a genuine connection of happiness. Some of the activities that I participate the patient includes offering their most desired meals, taking them to their favorite picnic and walk places and engaging in their most endowed activities (Mellissa Wayne, pg 4-5). However, the activities should be those that don’t aggravate or get the illness more badly off. 

In the case where the disease occurs, planning and preparing early are among my priorities. On preparations, it would involve financial preparedness, availability, legal preparedness and other related needs. It is valuable to prepare on financial stability so that one can have funds to offer the required services. It is common that lack of finances may limit the ability to administer the right care. It is thus important to be financially endowed to facilitate the care. Furthermore, since the patient may have financial responsibilities, it is important to improvise a strategy to help reduce the burden so as to aid in offering an ample time, especially when ailing (Mellissa Wayne, pg 2-3). On availability, I would seek some off time or take leave so that it would free up my schedule on giving care. On the context of legal requirements, for the administration of the will, it is valuable to offer a lawyer or a legal representative so that the patient can legalize their wishes. 

Besides physical care which seems rather intense, emotional care is among the most valuable elements. How the patient feels during the illness is imperative. Happiness is the sole objective of achievement in this context. To achieve happiness, I would offer an ambient grieving moment. Since the patient is at that moment is quite vulnerable, it is important to be available and give them hope. Additionally, focusing their mind on things that inject happiness rather than sadness is highly significant. Among the things that I purpose to do to achieve reduction of stress and depression are as follows. Firstly, in the case of existing family conflicts, it is important to resolve them. Resolving of family conflicts helps create ease at heart and reduce some of the emotional burdens. The approach endowed in resolving of conflict has to be such that they reduce agitation to the patient. Otherwise, it can cause a heart attack or result in it undesired stress. 

Secondly, although it is common to have grief and have intense emotions of sadness, pity, and remorse, I would never share them with the patient. Sharing such feelings with the patients adds on to their stress and makes them feel like a burden. It is for this reason that I would seek continued assistance in handling my emotions and grievance (Mellissa Wayne, pg 10-12). Among the persons who would bet suit, the situation includes health physicians, friends, and close family members. However, it does not mean that I will walk away from the patient in their grief moments. On the contrary, it is significant to be available, but one should keep personal feelings to oneself. 

In summation of it all, life support care is a critical process; it is important to plan and get prepared in advance. If the right care is not administered, it may result in unnecessary discomfort to the patient. It is for this reason that one should be cautious in their decisions on how to handle the patient. Since there may be a lot of needs to ensure quality care is offered it is important to seek help from relevant persons. Immediately a patient has been diagnosed with a terminal disease or a critical illness, the type of care administered changes to pluvial care. Intense and more loving attention is necessary to help them through their illness time. It is important to configure the needs of the patient so that they can be satisfied to the maximum.  

Works Cited

Bedworth, David A. Bedworth & Albert E. The Dictionary of Health Education. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Melissa Wayne, M.A., Lawrence Robinson & Jeanne Segal. “Late Stage and End of Life Care.” Havard Health Publications (2016): 1-16.