DYSPHAGIA

Dysphagia

Dysphagia

Introduction

A stroke is a condition in which the brain cells suddenly die because of a lack of oxygen. This can be caused by an obstruction in the blood flow, or the rupture of an artery that feeds the brain. The patient may suddenly lose the ability to speak, there may be memory problems, or one side of the body can become paralyzed (Stephens & Iggulden, 2009).The two main types of stroke include ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.

Ischemic stroke accounts for about three-quarters of all strokes and occurs when a blood clot, or thrombus, forms that blocks blood flow to part of the brain. If a blood clot forms somewhere in the body and breaks off to become free-floating, it is called an embolus. This wandering clot may be carried through the bloodstream to the brain where it can cause ischemic stroke.

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel on the brain's surface ruptures and fills the space between the brain and skull with blood (subarachnoid hemorrhage) or when a defective artery in the brain bursts and fills the surrounding tissue with blood (cerebral hemorrhage).

Both types of stroke result in a lack of blood flow to the brain and a buildup of blood that puts too much pressure on the brain. 

The outcome after a stroke depends on where the stroke occurs and how much of the brain is affected. Smaller strokes may result in minor problems, such as weakness in an arm or leg. Larger strokes may lead to paralysis or death. Many stroke patients are left with weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, incontinence, and bladder problems.

Discussion

Dignity in Nursing Care

Valuing dignity is integral to patients' care, but little information is available about how this value translates into practice. In this article, 3 definitions of the word dignity are presented in case scenarios and discussed with respect to data gathered from older persons (Smith, 2010).

The very nature of the critical care setting presents a challenge to clinicians who seek to provide dignified care. The fast-paced, technological focus of critical care is necessary for caring for very ill patients, but it places great demands on nurses' resources. Physical barriers, such as catheters, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and drainage systems, make it difficult to view patients in a humanistic way and hinder the communication necessary for ensuring dignified interactions with them. Nurses have little time to attend to the holistic needs of patients and patients' families. Shortages in healthcare staff and increases in patients' acuity have only widened this gap between actual and desirable care (Kraszewski, 2011). Human dignity is an essential value of professional nursing practice (Duffin, 2009).

Although dignity is defined as “bearing, conduct, or manner indicative of self-respect, formality, or gravity,” an investigation of common usage of the word in healthcare indicates other meanings (Dimond, 2011). A concept analysis that included a review of the literature and focus groups composed of older adults indicated that the word dignity is commonly used in 3 ways: human dignity, the value a person has by being human, ...