Posted: December 20th, 2022

Assessment Tool for Patient Symptoms

Advanced Theoretical of nursing

Assessment Tool for Patient Symptoms
Healthcare workers perform patient assessments in their daily activities. Patient assessment is vital because it helps healthcare workers establish patient needs and the effectiveness of the treatment modalities, which play a crucial role in decision-making. The theory of unpleasant symptoms suggests that symptoms exist together and influence each other in that they have a multiplicative effect on each other rather than an additional effect. The theory goes far as to propose that the treatment of one symptom simultaneously leads to the treatment of another sign. The theory suggests further that the symptoms can be physical, psychological or situational. For healthcare workers to effectively perform the assessments of symptoms, they must utilize an assessment tool that acts as a guide in completing the task (Peterson & Bredow, 2020). This paper will discuss the important parameters to look for in an assessment tool about The Model of Unpleasant Symptoms.
According to the model of unpleasant symptoms, an assessment tool must contain the following. First, the instrumentmust have a provision for the signs, which are physiological, psychological and situational. Psychological factors include all those stimuli that affect the state of the mind example, mood,which is a critical sign in patients with bipolar disorder (Chatani et al., 2021). Moreover, patients could experience physiological symptoms that present secondary to an alteration of the normal physiological functions of the body, which include an increase in heartbeat secondary to adrenaline surge or a decrease due to the parasympathetic action of the vagus nerve supplying the heart. In addition, the other cluster contains situational symptoms resulting from experiencing a stimulus during specific periods and are short-term. The situational symptoms include loss of appetite and sadness (Chatani et al., 2021).
Secondly, after identifying the signs, the tool must give a provision for assessing the factors that influence the symptoms. Factors influencing symptoms include aggravating and relieving factors. Aggravating factors refer to those activities that when a patient engages in, they worsen the presenting symptoms; a good example is the pain that comes with a peptic ulcer patient staying hungry for a long. In this case, the hunger worsens the situation by the patient feeling much pain. Relieving factors, on the other hand, consists of activities that comfort the patient; a good example is the relief of headache by sleep. Often, patients have perceived relieving factors before coming to the hospital. Lastly, performance outcome is critical as it will determine health-seeking behaviors. Primarily, when symptoms impair the performance of patient routines, the result will be seeking care to restore performance capacity (Peterson & Bredow, 2020).
Conclusion
In conclusion, we have seen that the theory of unpleasant symptoms is crucial in designing patient assessment tools. The idea presents three symptoms which include physical, psychological, and situational. Physiological factors include stimuli the patient perceives as pain, which can be rated. Additionally, we have looked at psychological symptoms which affect the mental faculties, followed by physiological symptoms that present due to alteration of the normal body function and situational, which are short and present as per the occasion. Lastly, we have seen that the tool must assess the main symptoms, the factors affecting the symptoms, and the outcome.
References
Chatani, Y., Nomura, K., Hiraike, H., Tsuchiya, A., & Okinaga, H. (2021). Multiple Physical Symptoms Are Useful to Identify High-Risk Individuals for Burnout: A Study on Faculties and Hospital Workers in Japan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 3246. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063246
Peterson, S. J., & Bredow, T. S. (2020). Middle range theories: application to nursing research and practice (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Thank you for sharing this information about the Model of Unpleasant Symptoms and its relevance for patient assessment tools. It is important for healthcare workers to consider the various factors that can influence a patient’s symptoms, including physiological, psychological, and situational factors, in order to provide the most effective care. The idea that symptoms can have a multiplicative effect on each other, rather than an additive effect, is also important to consider when assessing patients and developing treatment plans.

It is also important to consider the factors that can exacerbate or relieve a patient’s symptoms, as well as the impact that symptoms have on a patient’s performance and ability to engage in their daily activities. This can help healthcare workers identify the most effective interventions and strategies for managing a patient’s symptoms.

It is important for healthcare workers to use a comprehensive and holistic approach when assessing patients and developing treatment plans, taking into account the various factors that can influence a patient’s symptoms. This can help to ensure that patients receive the most appropriate and effective care for their needs.

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