Running head: The Critique of Ethical Consideration of Patients with Dementia 1
The critique of ethical consideration of patients with dementia
8
The Critique of Ethical Consideration of Patients with Dementia
Yeni Hernandez
GCU NRS-433V
August 19, 2018
The critique of ethical consideration of patients with dementia
Introduction
Based on Pan et al. (2013) study, the severities of the behavioural and psychological symptoms that are evident for vascular dementia are clearly presented. The research focuses on the application of quantitative measures to understand the severity of the symptoms using a sample of 51 patients with vascular dementia (Pan et al., 2013). The analysis considered the fluctuation of the behavioural symptoms based on diurnal, evening, and nocturnal activities. The ageing population has been outlined as being a risk factor for the continued prevalence and rise in the cases of dementia for decades. This paper will critique the PICOT statement on the grounds of those living with dementia in their daily lives.
PICOT statement for patients with dementia
P- (problem/patient/population): the research will focus on patients living with dementia (PWD)
I- Intervention will come in the form of integrating regular exercises to dementia patients to help improve memory loss and maintain a healthy fit.
C- Comparison: if a patient cannot engage in productive and useful forms of exercises, provide a supportive environment through informal caregiving to facilitate relaxation and safety.
O- Outcome: the outcome of the study is an improved overall safety of a patient living with dementia to reduce re-hospitalizations that result from injuries.
T- Time- this will show the time required in addressing the problem of dementia among home care patients.
Background information
Dementia generally is used to refer to the symptoms shown by individuals and mostly relate to memory. There have been complaining about the existence of rare signs amongst patients who visit clinical institutions. This included the loss of memory hence reducing their ability to carry out their daily tasks appropriately. However, it had been clearly proven that there was little that was done in realizing the desired the desired solutions to help out the patients. At higher stages patients showed problems in communication and language, focusing and paying attention, perceptions relating to visions, judgment and how the patients reasoned out. This, therefore, prompted the need to carry out a qualitative and quantitative study with a major aim of presenting ethical issues that relate to patients with dementia. The study was based on scholarly articles to present appropriate information that can help curb such instances in most or all medical and clinical institutions hence saving the patients. It is evident that the lack of patient care and safety acted as the major reason as to.
Running head The Critique of Ethical Consideration of Patients wi.docx
1. Running head: The Critique of Ethical Consideration of Patients
with Dementia 1
The critique of ethical consideration of patients with dementia
8
The Critique of Ethical Consideration of Patients with Dementia
Yeni Hernandez
GCU NRS-433V
August 19, 2018
The critique of ethical consideration of patients with dementia
Introduction
Based on Pan et al. (2013) study, the severities of the
behavioural and psychological symptoms that are evident for
vascular dementia are clearly presented. The research focuses
on the application of quantitative measures to understand the
severity of the symptoms using a sample of 51 patients with
vascular dementia (Pan et al., 2013). The analysis considered
the fluctuation of the behavioural symptoms based on diurnal,
evening, and nocturnal activities. The ageing population has
been outlined as being a risk factor for the continued prevalence
and rise in the cases of dementia for decades. This paper will
critique the PICOT statement on the grounds of those living
with dementia in their daily lives.
PICOT statement for patients with dementia
P- (problem/patient/population): the research will focus on
2. patients living with dementia (PWD)
I- Intervention will come in the form of integrating regular
exercises to dementia patients to help improve memory loss and
maintain a healthy fit.
C- Comparison: if a patient cannot engage in productive and
useful forms of exercises, provide a supportive environment
through informal caregiving to facilitate relaxation and safety.
O- Outcome: the outcome of the study is an improved overall
safety of a patient living with dementia to reduce re-
hospitalizations that result from injuries.
T- Time- this will show the time required in addressing the
problem of dementia among home care patients.
Background information
Dementia generally is used to refer to the symptoms shown by
individuals and mostly relate to memory. There have been
complaining about the existence of rare signs amongst patients
who visit clinical institutions. This included the loss of memory
hence reducing their ability to carry out their daily tasks
appropriately. However, it had been clearly proven that there
was little that was done in realizing the desired the desired
solutions to help out the patients. At higher stages patients
showed problems in communication and language, focusing and
paying attention, perceptions relating to visions, judgment and
how the patients reasoned out. This, therefore, prompted the
need to carry out a qualitative and quantitative study with a
major aim of presenting ethical issues that relate to patients
with dementia. The study was based on scholarly articles to
present appropriate information that can help curb such
instances in most or all medical and clinical institutions hence
saving the patients. It is evident that the lack of patient care and
safety acted as the major reason as to why there was the need to
carry out the study. The care and safety can best be provided by
the members of the family and the clinical attendants in a bid to
3. improve the quality of life. The close attention needed to the
patients is because of their age bracket which is majorly the
aged (Neubert, König and Brettschneider, 2018).
The method of study
In collecting relevant data relating to the statement or the
problem, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in
the study. The relevant directions were achieved through the
inclusions of the values, concepts, perspectives and individuals
that acted as guidelines in the entire process of data collection
and analysis. When dealing directly with the dementia patients
questionnaires were used by the nurses (Pan, Yoshida, Liu, Wu,
Wang, Zhu and Cai, 2013). However, there were different scales
and assessment tools used in the establishment of the dominant
symptoms as exemplified using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory
(NPI) for assessment. Based on the assessment, vascular
dementia (VD) was found as one of the forms of dementia that
is linked to the presence of atherosclerosis (Pan et al., 2013).
Some of the BPSD (behavioural and psychological symptoms of
dementia) like aggressive behaviour, mood alterations,
hallucinations, day-night rhythm disturbances, and agitation are
common in the late course of dementia like VD and Alzheimer’s
disease (AD) (Pan et al., 2013). Among the different symptoms,
agitation is identified as being noticeably burdensome on family
members and professional caregivers. The research identifies
the necessity of using the BEHAVE-AD (behavioural pathology
in Alzheimer’s disease rating scale) while monitoring BPSD.
However, the BEHAVE-AD assessments fail because of their
subjective nature and the overdependence on personnel
resources in the hospital setting (Pan et al., 2013).
The use of the NPI scale may demand the use of a semi-
structured interview that is administered by the research or a
clinician with the caregiver of the person with dementia. A
research a few years presented the guidelines concerning
dementia. The span of the study that was conducted took around
six months in the year 2009 to December 2011. Further, the
research was conducted at the Department of Neurology of
4. Shuguang Hospital where the subjects were recruited from. The
researchers firstly examined 138 patients that had been
diagnosed with different dementia-related conditions, including,
AD, Lewy body dementia, and Parkinson-dementia among
others. The exclusion and inclusion criteria further attest to the
rigour of the research. To enhance credibility, the statistical
method was also used in evaluating the eligibility of the major
topics relating to dementia in relation to the clinical operations.
For instance, it was found out that only 56 patients met the
threshold based on the mean age of 60.2 with the acceptable
deviation being ± 9.7 and the mean duration of the illness being
6.9 and a deviation of ± 5.2 years. Of all the 56 patients used in
the study, different portions had signs of varied dementia types.
26 had been diagnosed with multi-infarct dementia and 30 with
subcortical dementia. The use of the Ninds-Airen criteria served
to enhance the credibility of the research as the subjects
fulfilled the conditions for the probability of VD.
Some patients were excluded from the original samples to
enhance eligibility. Those patients who had a historical
background of other infections like schizophrenia were
excluded based on clear inclusion-exclusion criteria in relation
to the nursing ability needed in curbing the dementia
conditions. This was done with a major aim of ensuring security
in relation to the nursing ethics in Shuguang Hospital and the
declaration of Helsinki. In using the chosen methods, the
nursing and the general medical ethics were to be considered for
patients showing signs of dementia. Therefore, the patients were
evaluated on the basis of how the nurses administered drugs
according to the prescriptions of the doctors. This was majorly
done with an aim of enhancing the reliability and credibility of
the study in general. The methods were used as complements to
each other hence enhanced the reliability of the findings. SPSS
Windows Version 17.0 was used because of the statistical
approaches that were incorporated in the qualitative section that
was majorly accounting analysis.
Results of the study
5. The study was successful based on the methods selected hence
statistical errors were minimized. The subjects under research
dropped with the initial number reducing by five leaving 51
patients to affect the study. This was so because some patients
who had historical disorders were excluded from the study. It
was realized that the behaviour of patients with dementia
disorder was thought to relate to the aged in the society who
later on displayed signs like the lack of memory. There was
little attention given to the dementia victims by their family
members and the medical practitioners especially the nurses.
The government had done very little to help curb the problems
experienced by the dementia victims in the society. It was
therefore proven that the assumptions and the thoughts that
dementia was associated with the aged were true and that its
major signs were the loss of memory, poor judgment and poor
vision. This is based on pieces of evidence in the articles and
the general life experiences. Therefore, as much as the nurses
are blamed for the little concern towards the dementia patients,
their laxity is as a result of the lack of facilities from the
government and other health stakeholders. Safety and care
facilities are among those are rarely provided by the
government especially towards the dementia patients. Based on
the study, it was limited by sample sizes and the number of
participants involved. Lack of inclusion of the nurses and other
medical practitioners limited the amount of information
collected. It can be recommended based on the results that the
elderly should be given the efficient care just as the females and
infants. The nurses also need to take up responsibility and use
the little available resources in solving the health challenges in
the society.
Ethical considerations
The entire process before being carried out was approved by the
necessary authorities; health providers. This means that there
was valid authenticity in investing the 56 participants with
dementia disorders. Any information provided was secure and
private hence was prevented from unauthorized access. The
6. study was carried out appropriately without causing harm to the
environment and its inhabitants. The participants provided a
written consent before their participation. After analysis, any
information recorded was to be destroyed while others saved
and protected with a strong passkey (Hughes and Common,
2015).
Conclusion
Dementia should be seen as a deadly disorder hence the
government should take caution in helping out the patients.
Nurses should be at the forefront of using the available
facilities to save the patients to enhance quality life for all and
promoting professionalism. They should provide care for these
patients so as to help them see their worth in the society.
However, the family members should provide the necessary
attention needed so as to help the patients curb personal
challenges in their daily lives.
.
References
Hughes, J., & Common, J. (2015). Ethical issues in caring for
patients with dementia. Nursing Standard, 29(49), 42-47. doi:
10.7748/ns.29.49.42.e9206
7. Neubert, L., König, H., & Brettschneider, C. (2018). Seeking
the balance between caregiving in dementia, family, and
employment: study protocol for a mixed method study in
Northern Germany. BMJ Open, 8(2), e019444. doi:
10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019444
Pan, W., Yoshida, S., Liu, Q., Wu, C., Wang, J., Zhu, J., & Cai,
D. (2013). Quantitative evaluation of severity of behavioral and
psychological symptoms of dementia in patients with vascular
dementia. Translational Neurodegeneration, 2(1), 9. doi:
10.1186/2047-9158-2-9