CHAPTER 5 PATIENT CARE INTRODUCTION
Twentieth century advances in the medical and technological sciences have made a significant impact on the methods of marketing health care services. The numbers and kinds of health care providers have expanded greatly. The consumers have become more informed regarding both their health care needs and expectations. Additionally, the consumers has become more vocal, seeking answers for both the whats and whys of the entire spectrum of health care services.
The goal of this chapter is to provide the hospital corpsman with a limited amount of theory concerning the multidisciplinary aspects of patient care. It is an introduction to some of the more critical basic concepts applicable to providing care to individuals whose physical or psychological needs have motivated them to seek some kind of health care service.
Personnel seeking information concerning the how and what to do regarding a specific procedure will find step-by-step instructions in the Nursing
Procedures Manual, NAVMED P-5066-A, January 1985 edition. Use of both the Nursing
Procedures Manual and the Hospital Corpsman 3 & 2 Rate Training Manual will not only assist the hospital corpsman in advancing in rate but more importantly will prepare him or her to provide safe and effective health care services. An additional and very important reference is the Navy Customer Service Manual, NAVEDTRA 10119-B. It presents the importance of proper attitude and its effect on everyday performances and stresses the need for developing positive attitudes in interpersonal relationships. The concepts in the Navy Customer Service Manual integrate closely with the patient contact point program.
HEALTH AND ILLNESS
To intelligently and skillfully discharge your duties as a member of the Navy Medical Department health care team, it is critical that you first understand the concepts of health and illness.
The concept of health includes the physical, mental, and emotional condition of a human being that provides for the normal and proper performance of one’s vital functions. Not only is health the absence of disease or disability, but health is also a state of soundness of the body, mind, and spirit.
On the other hand, the concept of illness includes those conditions often accompanied by pain or discomfort that inhibit a human being’s ability to physically, mentally, or emotionally perform in a normal and proper manner.
In most cultures when people need assistance in maintaining their health, dealing with illness, or coping with problems related to health and illness, they seek assistance from personnel specialized in the fields of health care.
In chapter 1, the concepts of the health care team were briefly introduced. Although physicians, nurses, and hospital corpsmen are frequently referred to as the core team, all health and allied health personnel comprise the total health care team. Obviously, each member of the team uses his or her skills differently, depending upon their personal, professional, and technical preparation and experience. Nevertheless, despite the differences in clinical expertise, they all share one common objective; that is, to respond to the consumer’s health needs. The overall goal of this response is to assist the consumer to maintain, sustain, restore, or rehabilitate a physical or psychological function.
THE PATIENT
No discussion about health care or the health care team would be complete without including the patient, often referred to as the consumer. A patient may be defined as a human being under the care of one or more of the health care providers. The patient may or may not be hospitalized. However, regardless of their health care needs or environmental disposition, they are the most important part of the health care team. Without the patient, the health care team has little, if any, reason for existence.
As a hospital corpsman, you are tasked to provide every patient committed to your charge with the best care possible. This care must reflect your belief in the value and dignity of every personas
