Nursing Implications

Aging
English > Comparison
Medical and Health

A discussion on whether or not the implications of nursing pediatric patients recovering from transplant therapy differ from the implications of nursing adult and/or geriatric patients.

2,324 words () | 10 sources | APA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explores whether or not the nursing implications change with regards to providing care to adult versus child transplant recipients. The paper looks at some of the obvious differences between children and adults but also takes time to explore the many similarities between patients of all ages. It also delves into the philosophical, possibly even moral, reservations some nursing professionals might have with treating certain patients and considers what the appropriate response should be. The paper also looks at the other "actors" - family members, even school officials - for whom the professional nurse must have proper deference and briefly considers the implications that these relationships will have upon the patients' long-term well-being.

From the Paper:

"Transplant therapy for children versus transplant therapy for adults - especially older adults - is similar in the sense that both instances demand nursing professionals respect the pain and fearfulness of the subject's family. However, one can argue that any position which cleaves to the view that the two should not be treated differently is nonetheless a rather naive one. For one thing, elderly patients are not attending (or about to attend) school as are children. Because of this fact, Brosig (2006) insists that transplant teams should be in contact with school personnel so as to "optimize outcomes" via coming up with an individualized approach to facilitating the child's scholastic efforts."

Sample of Sources Used:

Ansari, Franziska, Ferring, Verena, Schulz-Weidner, Nelly, & Wetzel, Willi-Eckhard. (2006). Concomitant oral findings in children after cardiac transplant. Pediatric Transplantation, 10(2): 215-19.
Baas, L.S. (2002). The challenge of managing the care of older heart transplant recipients. AACN Clinical Issues, 13(1): 114-31.
Brosig, C. (2006). An exploratory study of the cognitive, academic, and behavioral functioning of pediatric cardio-thoracic transplant recipients. Progress in Transplantation, 16(1): 38-45.
Bucuvalas, John C., & Ryckman, Frederick C. (2002). Long-term outcome after liver transplantation in children. Pediatric Transplantation, 6(1): 30-36.
Harmon, William E., McDonald, Ruth A., Reyes, Jorge D., Bridges, Nancy D., Sweet, Stuart C., Sommers, Cindy M., & Guidinger, Mary K. Pediatric transplantation: 1994-2003. American Journal of Transplantation, 2(5): 887-903.