NR 341 Case 5 Complex Adult Health Communicator
Student Name
Chamberlain University
NR-341 Complex Adult Health
Prof. Name
Date
NR341 – Complex Adult Health
Date: November 13, 2018
Case Five Communication Simulator Questions
1. How would you change your clinical practice based on your experience with this tutorial? (150 Words)
Participating in the Case Five Communication Simulator involving Mrs. Longley and her family significantly influenced how I would approach my clinical practice moving forward. This experience emphasized the importance of active listening and therapeutic communication in building trust with both the patient and their family. Rather than dominating conversations, I would prioritize listening empathetically, acknowledging their concerns, and validating their emotions. During the simulation, I recognized that healthcare involves not only direct patient care but also managing family dynamics and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
One key takeaway was the need for proactive advocacy—speaking up for the patient by sharing observations and recommendations with the provider and nurse manager. Creating and presenting a collaborative care plan can enhance patient outcomes. Furthermore, involving family in care planning has been shown to support faster recovery. Finally, knowing when to escalate concerns or seek support from team members is a critical component of responsible nursing practice and ensures patient safety and quality care.
2. According to the State Board of Nursing in your state, what is the Registered Nurse’s responsibility in treating a patient’s pain?
According to the Illinois Nurse Practice Act, a Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for the promotion, protection, and optimization of patient health and abilities, including the alleviation of suffering through the appropriate implementation of a nursing care plan (Illinois Nurse Practice Act, 2018, Section 50-10). RNs are also required to perform comprehensive assessments of a patient’s health, which includes evaluating the presence and intensity of pain—considered the fifth vital sign in modern nursing.
NR 341 Case 5 Complex Adult Health Communicator
Under the RN Scope of Practice in Illinois, nurses are tasked with assessing the patient’s response to interventions and making necessary adjustments to ensure optimal outcomes (RN Scope of Practice, 2015, Section 1300.360). Pain management involves both subjective reports from the patient and objective data. Nurses must advocate for the patient by ensuring timely pain interventions and communicating unresolved pain issues to the provider. Adequate documentation, education, and collaboration with the healthcare team are integral to fulfilling this responsibility.
3. What is defined by state law as a patient being incapacitated?
In Illinois, a patient is legally considered “incapacitated” if they are unable to make rational decisions due to a mental or physical condition, disability, illness, or substance use (Sole, Klein, & Moseley, 2016). According to the Illinois Power of Attorney Act (2015), a person is incapacitated if they are under a legal disability as defined in Section 11a-2 of the Probate Act of 1975. Additionally, a licensed physician must examine and certify in writing that the individual lacks decision-making capacity. This certification must be documented within 90 days of the examination.
The legal declaration of incapacity is a necessary step in invoking the authority of a healthcare power of attorney (POA) or assigning a surrogate decision-maker. This ensures that decisions are made in the patient’s best interest when they are unable to act on their own behalf, and that the designated party is legally recognized in the care planning process.
4. Based on the laws of your state, if a patient does not have a medical power of attorney, who are the next three people responsible to make medical decisions for the patient?
When a patient in Illinois does not have an established medical power of attorney and is deemed incapacitated, the Health Care Surrogate Act (2009) outlines a legally defined hierarchy for surrogate decision-making. If a physician determines that the patient cannot make informed medical decisions, the law allows for the appointment of a surrogate in the following order of priority:
| Surrogate Priority Order | Relationship to Patient |
|---|---|
| 1 | Legal guardian |
| 2 | Spouse |
| 3 | Adult children |
| 4 | Parents |
| 5 | Adult siblings |
| 6 | Adult grandchildren |
| 7 | Close friend |
| 8 | Guardian of the estate |
The attending physician may rely on a suitable surrogate when no POA is available, provided the surrogate meets the requirements established by state law and acts in the patient’s best interest (Health Care Surrogate Act, 2009). In the event of multiple individuals at the same priority level, the physician may work with any one of them unless disagreements arise, in which case a majority consensus or court intervention may be necessary.
References
Illinois Nurse Practice Act. (2018). Section 50-10: Definition of professional nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=1316
RN Scope of Practice. (2015). Title 68: Professions and Occupations – Section 1300.360. Retrieved from http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/068/068013000C03600R.html
Illinois Power of Attorney Act. (2015). Section 2-3 (c-5). Retrieved from http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2113
NR 341 Case 5 Complex Adult Health Communicator
The Probate Act of 1975. (2015). Article XIa: Guardians for Adults with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075500050HArt.XIa&ActID=2104&ChapterID=60
Health Care Surrogate Act. (2009). Public Act 095-0762. Retrieved from http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=095-0762
Sole, M. L., Klein, D. G., & Moseley, M. J. (2016). Introduction to critical care nursing (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.