Discussion Post: Community
One of the most vulnerable populations in the United States are the chronically ill and disabled populations. According to Jost (2018) "disabled individuals, like the chronically ill, usually have many interactions with the health system, but, due to their disability, they may have difficulty accessing care. The chronically ill and the disabled may face special challenges in obtaining services" (p. 1). This population is very large and effects people of all races, incomes, genders all over the country. Balik (2017) stated in 2017 there were over 40 Million people with disabilities in the United States, or roughly twelve percent of the population (p. 1).This group is truly vulnerable s they may always be in pain and discomfort, not have income to support themselves, and might not understand what is happening to them.
Someone with mental illness might believe they are normal and that there is something wrong with everyone else. If you believe your condition is normal there is no need for you to pursue care. Working with this group can be difficult as there are so many disabilities. One of the major disabilities that is very common now is those living with crippling pain. These patients maybe abusing opioids, seeing multiple doctors to obtain prescriptions, and it is hard for a medical provider to evaluate someone's level of pain. Patients with mental handicaps for example have a hard time understanding things and may not be able to express themselves or ask for the help they need. Medical provides and nurses working with this population need to be understanding, caring, and very patient. Nursery advocacy for people with disability needs to focus on helping the patient, their families, and giving them the opportunity to live their best lives. Nurses dealing with disabled patients should also be on the lookout for injury and ensure abuse is not occurring.
Task
Include the number of individuals belonging to this group and the specific challenges or issues involved. Discuss why these populations are unable to advocate for themselves, the ethical issues that must be considered when working with these groups, and how nursing advocacy would be beneficial.
The response should include a reference list. Using one-inch margins, Times New Roman 12 pnt font, double-space and APA style of writing and citations.