Write a fully referenced essay highlighting the “journey” and nursing care of a patient with a long term condition through the care continuum.

You should already have selected a patient experiencing a long term condition during a recent practice placement. Your patient’s long term condition must be one that is studied within the DCC1 or 2 modules. During the placement you should have obtained permission from the patient to base your essay upon them and asked your mentor to sign the assignment front sheet to indicate that verbal agreement has been given. Do not ask the patient to sign the essay.

Confidentiality should be respected within the essay by use of a pseudonym.  Do not identify any clinical areas or community localities which might compromise patient confidentiality.

Suggested  Structure

Introduction and Patient’s journey:  The section should outline the essay and introduce your patient and their long term condition. The patient’s “journey” through the care continuum should then be outlined from the point of their symptoms first developing until the point of contact with yourself.                                                                                                                          300 words

Main body:  Briefly outline the patient’s presenting features (signs and symptoms) and discuss the evidence-based nursing care required to minimise the impact of these features upon the individual’s health                                                                                                            1400 words

Summarise this section by outlining what the potential future care needs may be for this individual related to living with this long term condition.                                         100 words

Conclusion: The conclusion should draw together the key points of the discussion. 200 words

The discussion should demonstrate evidence of extensive reading from contemporary, high quality, peer-reviewed nursing journals, quality nursing texts and relevant policy documents. All literature sources must be accurately cited and fully referenced.