Reflection On Withholding The Truth Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Reflection On Withholding The Truth. Answer: Introduction The following write up is my reflection on withholding the truth about patient terminal prognosis. It will contain the impact of withholding truth to the patient, family and I and how the staff attitudes on patients and family cultural practices can affect care provided to the patient and it impact on the patient and family psychological wellbeing. The write up will also contain specific strategies that I plan to incorporate in such cases in my health care profession. The reflection is based on Amys story case study. Impact of withholding truth To patient Withholding the truth from Amy who has a life limiting condition has several impacts both mentally and physically. First, withholding the truth causes anxiety to the patient due to lack of knowing the condition of her health. The patient is not able to know what to expect that increases anxiety leading to stress. The patient is also unable to make informed decision and accept palliative therapies (Costantini et al. 2009). To family First, withholding the truth about the patient condition to the family leads to misinformation about the patients emotions. Therefore the family is unable to offer appropriate support to the patient. Withholding the truth also leads to unrealistic expectations which at the end are not met destroying hope and trust. To me As a health care professional handling a prognosis patient, withholding the truth can cause stress and discomfort. I will keep thinking about how to deal with the patient, patients family and respond to patients emotions without depressing them to handle their negative feelings. Withholding the truth will also cause misunderstanding from the patient on what to do and expect. Staff attitude about patients and family cultural practices Affect care provided Patients cultural practices are different across the world and they affect how a staff provides health care. First, Amy is from Asian culture where illness is a family affair. This means that I have to involve the family because the family is at the center of decision making (Fletcher, 2015). Secondly, disclosing the truth will require first to communicate with the family who thereafter decides if to or not to disclose the truth to the patient. Impact on Amy and her family psychological wellbeing Amy, Mei, and Erik cultural practices would impact their psychological wellbeing regards disclosure of prognosis information. The patient will experience emotional shock and denial leading to stress after knowing her condition. The family is likely to experience their hope destroyed that can cause depression. The cultures of Asian communities are not comfortable with prognosis truth as it extinguishes hope to the patient and family (Hancock et al. 2007). Strategies to incorporate First, I will hold discussions with the family and the patient to find out what they know about the condition. Secondly, I will find the most appropriate time to disclose the truth about the condition. I will then communicate and encourage the patients family to accept the prognosis condition. Lastly, I will inform the family regarding the patients emotions and the appropriate support that they can offer to the patient (Sarafis et al. 2014). Conclusion From the following reflection on the Amys story, I have learnt that withholding or disclosing truth about patients prognosis condition has impact to the patient, family and the health professional providing the health care. Telling the truth to a patient or patients family is influenced by the cultural practice that they belong to. Therefore, it can be said that appropriate strategies are important to incorporate when providing health care to a prognosis condition. References Costantini, A., Baile, W. F., Lenzi, R., Costantini, M., Ziparo, V., Marchetti, P., Grassi, L. (2009). Overcoming cultural barriers to giving bad news: feasibility of training to promote truth-telling to cancer patients. Journal of Cancer Education, 24(3), 180-185. Fletcher, J. F. (2015). Morals and Medicine: the moral problems of the patient's right to know the truth, contraception, artificial insemination, sterilization, euthanasia. Princeton University Press. Hancock, K., Clayton, J. M., Parker, S. M., Wal der, S., Butow, P. N., Carrick, S., ... Tattersall, M. H. (2007). Truth-telling in discussing prognosis in advanced life-limiting illnesses: a systematic review. Palliative medicine, 21(6), 507-517. Sarafis, P., Tsounis, A., Malliarou, M., Lahana, E. (2014). Disclosing the truth: a dilemma between instilling hope and respecting patient autonomy in everyday clinical practice. Global journal of health science, 6(2), 128.