UF in Grenada 2019

Prior to coming to Grenada, we discussed the issue of health disparity. Not everyone has access to healthcare, and even for those that do, health encompasses aspects outside of the hospital. Often as healthcare professionals we can get tunnel vision with our patients. Rather than assessing the background and outside influences, patients are treated of their condition and sent home. Nursing model/theory aims to break this cycle and treat the patient, not the disease. The home visits helped me to see the bigger picture of my patient. Patients are more than the symptoms they present with, and their health is influenced by many outside forces. Bringing a piece of healthcare to our patients enabled me to draw the lines to connect the dots in the different areas that were affecting my patient. Whether it was biological, environmental, social or psychological, health is a holistic approach. I also found it more efficient to provide patient education while a patient was in their home. I was able to observe the resources that my patient had available or the items they utilized around their home and adapt the teaching to be more individualized. My approach to nursing care will forever be reinforced by my home visit experiences.