Amish Health insurance essay history PDF

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Amish Health insurance essay history...

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The Amish are excluded from social security and do not have health insurance. Considering their communities are often very co-dependent, they are not particularly affluent, and cost is a very important factor in decisions surrounding treatment. Despite the fact that they do not have insurance, this does not mean that patients are out of options. It is important to know that there are Amish Aid Societies that may help with the costs of medical treatment. Additionally, some hospitals offer discounts on treatments for payment in all cash. This is valuable to know when treating Amish patients because it is important that they are aware of all of their options and that cost hopefully does not prevent them from receiving the care they need. Amish people tend to have very specific perspectives on female reproductive issues as well. For example, they do not believe in the use of birth control and believe that abortion is completely unacceptable. In the Amish culture, children are seen as a gift of god and having a large family is a big asset, so there is no reason to end pregnancies. It is valuable to know these personal preferences of the culture because while the patient should be informed on all of their healthcare options, it is also important to be aware that it is unlikely that they will be open to receiving birth control or abortions. Finally, as a healthcare provider one of the most important aspects of the Amish culture to be aware of is how they manage pain. Oftentimes when the Amish become ill the are very stoical with pain and discomfort and find it important to save face (Rearick, "Amish Culture and Healthcare"). It is important to inquire about their pain and discomfort and encourage them to be honest about how they are feeling in order to get accurate information about the circumstances. In order to provide culturally competent care, many aspects of the culture must be taken into account during care planning and implementation. A care plan is documentation created by the nurse that includes the diagnoses, goals and criteria, nursing orders, and evaluation.

Implementing this plan involves carrying out the actions planned on the care plan to address the issues listed on the care plan as well. There are several things that may create a more positive experience for the patient if they can be applied to a care plan for an Amish patient. First, the patient should be addressed by their first name and their health care plan should be discussed one on one. In the Amish culture, health care decisions are an individual decision and not a group decision despite the fact that community and family are such important aspects in their culture. Additionally, educating the patient and their family on their condition, treatment place, healing process, and signs and symptoms of an emergency is an important part of the care plan. The Amish do not have access to and do not utilize technology in the way that many other patients would be found to. They are also a very secluded culture with their own school system. Therefore, things that are important to be aware of and that may seem like common knowledge may not be for Amish patients. Additionally, considering their lack of resources it is important that the professional informs them of anything the patient should be aware of. In regards to patient teaching, studies show that the Amish learn best through modeling and demonstration. Utilizing these techniques while educating the patient and their family on how to care for themselves will result in better outcomes. Additionally, the cost of the treatments should not be discussed until the pro’s and con’s and concept of the treatment have been discussed. Cost of treatment has been known to be a large contributing factor in decisions surrounding treatment for Amish people and if cost is discussed first, then the patient will be more focused on the cost rather than the treatment of their condition. Finally, if possible encouraging home health care for Amish patients is a great option. Considering how secluded the Amish culture can be, it can be very stressful and overwhelming to be integrated into a hospital or community setting amongst American culture ("What Is A Nursing Care Plan and Why is it Needed?"). Amish families often

feel much more comfortable in their own environment and as a result will have a better understanding of how to care for themselves and be more receptive to health care providers. After providing care, it is procedure for the healthcare team to evaluate the care plan created and carried out by nurses. In the evaluation of the care plan, professionals assess the “progress towards the goal achievement and the effectiveness of the nursing care plan” (care plan source). Doing so helps in the important task of re-evaluating the nursing interventions for patients. The nursing interventions are regularly re-evaluated as the condition of the patient often changes greatly from day to day. It is important to note what worked well with patients and what they were receptive to and what did not work well. If goals were set that could not be obtained the goal may need to be altered to be more attainable for the patient. If goals were set that were easily surpassed, it may be a good opportunity for the team to set new goals and recognize the progress that the patient has made. Additionally, this is an opportunity for the team to ensure that the care provided was culturally competent and adequate for the patient ("What Is A Nursing Care Plan and Why is it Needed?"). If there are additional considerations that need to be made or alternative support that the providers can offer through other services then these accommodations can be addressed in the evaluation of the care plan. Another purpose of the care plan is to help nursing students as well as nurses to think critically and plan ahead for the day. Creating a care plan for your patients helps to educate you on the patient’s history and current condition. By creating a plan for the day and for the treatment of your patients allows you to focus on details that define culturally competent care. By incorporating information surrounding the patient’s culture in to the care plan, they are more likely to feel comfortable and safe which results in better health outcomes. Cultural groups like the Amish have many aspects of their culture that need to be taken in to consideration in the

healthcare setting. In addition to the Amish, there are many other cultures that this is the case for as well. It is essential that nurses, as well as other health care professionals are trained to pay specific attention to patient’s cultures and preferences in order to provide culturally competent care. Culture is a way of life and it does not stop at the door of a healthcare facility.

References 2016 Diversity Toolkit - Cleveland Clinic - PDF Free Download. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bing.com/cr? IG=948E558C068D4AFF93B6F693535997DD&CID=348C9AFB0BCC6B782E9591110AC 16A3E&rd=1&h=4k6AZNBUv0J2X8I8SvujpV4K_Fzl6_tuoXYTWxo7nk&v=1&r=https://propertibazar.com/article/2016-diversity-toolkit-clevelandclinic_5a86f5b1d64ab2f0e7eb997d.html&p=DevEx.LB.1,5484.1

Andrulis, D. (n.d.). Conducting A Culture Competence Self-Assessment. Retrieved May 9, 2018, from https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/programs_campaigns/samhsa_hrsa/culturalcompetence-self-assessment.pdf...