DISCUSSION # 1
Designing an Assessment Instrument for Evaluating Toe Pain Symptoms
by Zulema Silva – Sunday, January 21, 2024, 12:01 PMNumber of replies: 1Title: Designing an Assessment Instrument for Evaluating Toe Pain Symptoms: Guided by the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms
Toe pain is a common symptom that can result from various underlying conditions, including injuries, infections, arthritis, and neuropathy. When developing an assessment instrument for evaluating toe pain symptoms, it is essential to consider the principles of the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms (TUS). This essay explores the characteristics that should be prioritized when designing an assessment instrument for toe pain symptoms, guided by TUS.
Guided by TUS, an ideal assessment instrument for toe pain symptoms should encompass multiple dimensions. These dimensions include not only the physical aspects of pain, such as intensity, location, and quality, but also the psychological and social dimensions. Patients experiencing toe pain may also deal with emotional distress and limitations in their daily activities, which should be considered in the assessment.
An effective assessment instrument must be valid and dependable. Validity ensures that the instrument accurately measures the intended construct, which, in this case, is toe pain. Reliability ensures that the instrument consistently produces consistent results when administered repeatedly. These qualities are essential to ensure that the assessment is both accurate and consistent in measuring toe pain symptoms.
TUS acknowledges that individuals may experience symptoms differently. Therefore, the assessment instrument should be sensitive to the unique experiences and perceptions of patients. It should allow for customization to address individual variations in pain perception, cultural backgrounds, and comorbidities that may affect how patients perceive and report toe pain.
Prioritizing the patient’s viewpoint, as emphasized by TUS, is crucial in the assessment of toe pain symptoms. The instrument should enable active patient participation, allowing patients to describe their symptoms, concerns, and the impact of toe pain on their daily lives. A patient-centered approach enhances communication between healthcare providers and patients, leading to better assessments and tailored treatment plans.
Cultural factors can influence how individuals perceive and express toe pain symptoms. A culturally sensitive assessment instrument should consider cultural beliefs, practices, and expressions related to pain and discomfort in the toes. This ensures that the instrument is respectful and applicable to a diverse range of patient populations.
To align with TUS, the assessment instrument should promote a holistic evaluation of toe pain symptoms. It should not focus solely on the physical manifestations of pain but also consider emotional and social aspects. For example, it should assess how toe pain affects a patient’s mobility, sleep quality, and overall quality of life.
When designing an assessment instrument for evaluating toe pain symptoms, guided by the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms (TUS), it is crucial to prioritize characteristics such as multidimensionality, validity, reliability, sensitivity to individual variation, a patient-centered approach, cultural sensitivity, and holistic evaluation. By incorporating these characteristics, healthcare providers can develop a comprehensive and patient-focused instrument that enhances the assessment and management of toe pain symptoms, ultimately improving patient outcomes and experiences.
References:
Bauer, A. M., Hodsdon, S., Bechtel, J. M., Fortney, J. C., Fickel, J. J., & Turvey, C. L. (2020). Use of mHealth Technology for Patient-Reported Outcomes in Integrated Care: A Scoping Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(2), e15815.
Rutten, L. J. F., Hesse, B. W., Sauver, J. L. S., Wilson, P., Chawla, N., Hartigan, D. B., & Moser, R. P. (2019). Health Self-Efficacy Among Populations with Multiple Chronic Conditions: The Value of Patient-Centered Communication. Advances in Health Care Management, 17, 71-98.
DISCUSSION # 2 Theory of unpleasant symptoms
by Wilma Suero Castro – Sunday, January 21, 2024, 9:48 AMNumber of replies: 1In the Unpleasant Symptom Theory, there are three main elements: the symptoms the patient is experiencing; the factors that influence them, both in their nature and in their evolution; and the repercussions of that experience. The model focuses on symptoms that are experienced as indicators of changes in the individual’s health status. These symptoms usually occur repeatedly and simultaneously, and although they vary from one another, they share four dimensions: intensity, time, suffering and quality. The theory points out three important categories of these dimensions: physiological, psychological, and situational factors, which relate to each other beyond their individual relationships with symptoms. The final aspect of the theory is the performance or consequence that reflects the functional and cognitive responses to the symptom experience.
It is crucial to highlight the importance of carrying out a critical analysis of nursing theories because this process confirms their validity and finds gaps in their framework, providing relevant information for their subsequent theoretical development or refinement. As a result, it provides a systematic and objective way of examining a theory that can lead to new, previously undiscovered ideas and formulations that add to the body of nursing knowledge.
As mentioned above, for the understanding of the theory, symptoms are expressed as those experienced by the person and are defined as indicators of change, perceived in normal functioning; Influential factors are physiological, psychological, and situational, affecting the perception of symptoms, the realization or outcome of the symptom experience, and affecting cognitive and functional activities. Furthermore, it has four dimensions, one of which is attribute distress, which refers to the degree to which the person feels bothered by the experience of the symptom; Quality is the coordination that exists between the appearance of a symptom and a specific activity; Duration includes how often a symptom occurs; Intensity measures the severity, strength, or amount of the symptom.
There has been research that supports the theory of unpleasant symptoms, such as the study by Espinoza Maritza in which emphasis was placed on influencing factors, symptoms, and the repercussions of experiences with symptoms. A care guide in oncology was created by the Chilean Ministry of Health, the Pain Relief and Palliative Care Standard, based on who recommendations, which guides treatment. The care protocols they have developed are based on proven scientific evidence at a national and global level for nursing practice. oriented towards the creation of nursing care guides or protocols. This theory encourages integrative thinking when addressing and managing manifestations, which makes nursing care comply with the three principles of efficacy, efficiency, and effectiveness in service delivery. This can be seen in different studies in the surgical area, which emphasize nursing care together with the surgical team to pay attention to assessment approaches in the surgical and anesthetic area, in order to improve undesirable symptoms.
References
The Holistic Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms. (2022) Retrieved from https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=da035cd9-ace1-4b9b-809c-e3b2939be371%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ccm&AN=156994037
Theory of unpleasant symptoms. (2019).Retrieved from https://www.redalyc.org/journal/714/71465278147/html/