Visually Impaired Patients and Change

Paper Summary:

This is a proposal for a process change project (initially a pilot project) to better equip nurses to deal effectively with the visually impaired. The paper discusses the implications of being visually impaired and notes that this is a growing population with a grossly under reported incidence of visual impairment and often blindness due to aging and accompanying diseases that affect the elderly. Risk of accidents, such as hip fractures from falls, are suggested as part of the reason for the proposed pilot project. Lewin process change theory is highlighted.

From the Paper:

"According to the American Foundation for the Blind, approximately 10 million individuals are visually impaired. ("Statistics," 2005). The visually impaired create numerous challenges for nursing and other healthcare practitioners that most institutions are not prepared to deal with. While visual impairment can strike individuals of any age; an estimated 5 million individuals aged 65 or older not residing in nursing homes are visually impaired either directly as a result of the aging process or as a result of diseases, such as diabetes, which affect vision ("Statistics," 2005), with 1 million reported as severe impairment. 26% of all nursing home residents are visually impaired: 3% are blind, 6% as severely impaired and over 16% considered impaired ("Statistics," 2005). Older individuals are also at a higher risk of serious injury based on their visual impairment. As a result, this population is more likely to require medical attention.."

More papers on Visually Impaired Patients and Change:

• Analytical Essay # 106372 : "Visually Impaired Persons and Web Sites"
• Essay # 59458 : "Support for Visually Impaired Children"
• Research Paper # 100889 : "The Older Adult Driver"

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