The concept of the patient voice as a means of improving the patient experience and health outcomes

2. SHORT DESCRIPTION
This module will introduce the concept of the patient voice as a means of improving the patient experience and health outcomes. Equally the hearing of patient / client stories to an improved and a more compassionate approach to care. The outcomes of these studies surely register with current and past government policy that has little doubt that services should be planned with patients at the centre of care. As such this module will endeavour to use a patient story of their experience illness in order to construct the cultural, social and psychological meaning and locate these in contemporaneous sociological and psychological theoretical perspectives.

3. AIMS OF THE MODULE
This module aims to:
• To introduce students to sociological and psychological theories that explicates the perspective of wellness and illness.
• To develop skills in working with vulnerable people that encompass values such as compassion, dignity and respect and that practice is within the philosophy of empowerment and partnership
• To develop an understanding of the concept of discrimination and the impact this can on individuals and communities
• To develop an understanding of the learning opportunities when we listen to a patient’s story.

4. LEARNING OUTCOMES

4.1 Knowledge and Understanding
4.2 Knowledge and Understanding

• Develop an understanding of inequalities and vulnerability in health and social care
• Discuss how people’s social environment and choice of life style can impact on their health
• Understand how the inequalities that people face may be exacerbated by practice that does not take into account anti-discriminatory practice and empowerment
• Demonstrate an understanding of how their own values, beliefs and culture may impact on their patients and families

4.3 Intellectual Skills
• Able reflect on, reason with and understand complex situations
• Develop structured arguments through discussion and written work
• Develop an ability to be self-aware

4.4 Practical Skills
• Ability to identify and challenge poor practice
• Ability to integrate theory and practice in order to facilitate change
• Ability to listen to the patient and understand their contribution to care.

4.5 Transferable Skills
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Develop critical thinking skills
• Develop collaboration and team work skills

5. ASSESSMENT OF THE MODULE

Theoretical Assessment: 3,000 word assignment. This assignment consists of two elements:
I. Gaining permission and obtaining a patient narrative whilst on a twelve week host trust placement.
II. Constructing and annotating the narrative using psychological and sociological theories.

Both elements are important. In order to write an assignment there is requisite to have acquired a patient story and can demonstrate an understanding of how health and illness has impacted on their lives.

Formative Assessment: Student will be asked to write up to a 1,000 words of the patient story without any annotation. The students will share their stories in groups and discuss the theories from the module that best explores the narrative. This formative piece of work will take place in week four of the module.

Summative Assessment:
The assessment method will involve the student in interviewing a patient / client / carer with consent and then writing a patient narrative that explores the patient journey. The narrative will be annotated using the theories espoused in the module to explicate the patient’s circumstances and their perspective of their condition.
1. What is a narrative
Basically a patient narrative is the retelling of a story of events that have lead them to where they are now. While a story is just a sequence of events, a narrative recounts those events, whilst emphasising some aspects of the account and leaving out others is they are irrelevant or unimportant.
Visit: http://www.eng.niu.edu/wac/narr_how.html for more information on what a narrative is.

2. Why is patient / client narratives important
Patient /client narratives are important because it introduces the patient’s perspective into our understanding illness. It allows us to adopt a more patient / client approach to the delivery of health care. Conversely it helps us in the recognition that other individuals have perspectives and values which differ from our own. Example: A family’s story of their thoughts, feelings and fears bound up in their 10 year old daughter having type 1 diabetes may elicit an understanding that it is not just about the condition. It is how it represents an entire way of living in which their lives are consumed by choices, risks and restrictions that diabetes has imposed upon the family.
Visit: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-1800.2007.00331.x/abstract
http://www.survivor-research.com/index.php/component/content/article/24-highlights/82-black-women-recovery-and-resilience
To find out why narrative are important to nursing care

3. How to write a narrative

The basis for this assignment begins with the selection of a patient, carer, client or parent who is willing to tell you their story. You will need to seek consent and show in the assignment that the person’s / child’s anonymity has been respected.
It might be daunting task to ask a specific person or family to tell you their story but discuss this with your mentor on placement who may be able to advise the best patient / child / client/ family to approach.
Visit: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361311104000731#sec1
This web site will give you ideas on how you might elicit a patient/ client / parent / child’s narrative.

4. Interpretation of the narrative.
How you interpret the narrative will be the subject area explored in the Social Sciences for Nursing module however preparatory reading is given below.
Visit: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.00252/pdf On how to interpret a patient narrative.

Submission Route:
• All assignments will be submitted electronically in a drop box on Moodle.
• All assignments must have been through Turnitin.
• The assignment submitted through Moodle is the only assignment that will be marked.
• The submitted assignment in Moodle must have a front page in the house style. An example is below.
• The submitted assignment must have a footer which includes page numbers and student number.
• The Module Co-ordinator will set up the site to open two weeks before the hand in date and the site will close at midnight on the submission date.
• Please ensure that your completed assignment is available before midnight of the submission date. The site will close at midnight and no further submissions will be accepted.
• Students who have special dispensation to submit after the published submission date will be able to access an alternative site. This site will open on the 0900 the day after the published submission date and close midnight two weeks after the published submission date. This service is available for first attempts only.
• Subsequent attempts are not bound by a two week extension.
• Please be mindful that if you are planning to submit your assignment close to the midnight deadline that this will be a busy period and might result in missing the deadline.

House style front page

Module Title: Social Sciences and Nursing
Module reference Number:
Module Leader:
Student Number:
Assignment Title: Patient Narrative
Field: Children’s Nursing
Cohort: September 2013
Word Count: 2897

Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.

[order_calculator]