Method of obtaining necessary approval
The plan needs support and high levels of corporation from everyone in the organization. Therefore, there are numerous ways i can use to obtain the necessary support from the managers and fellow staff Members. Some of the methods that can be used to gain their support and total commitment to the project include writing a rough draft on the proposed project and then presenting it to the management in an effort to get their support. This will help in gaining and bringing it to their attention the need to undertake the projects. The other methods that can be used is doing an intensive research on the issue of breast cancer and the changes that need to be addressed in order to improve the provision of care and increase awareness. This method is also applicable to other staff members who have an interest in providing quality care to the patients recovering from breast cancer (Fallowfield & Clark, 1991). This may involve education and sensitizing the staff members on the importance of the project and why it is important for everyone to take an active role in ensuring it is a success. This may require a lot of time and convincing, but it is important to have everyone in the staff involved in the implementation of the project.
Description of current problem, issue, or deficit requiring a change
The level of care and information provided to women recovering from cancer treatment is insufficient, and there is a dire need to improve the knowledge and the level of information provided to the women and those taking care of them. These include the nurses in charge of the patients, the family members and the women themselves. The lack of sufficient information on the care required for those recovering from cancer treatment serves as a major setback to the fight against breast cancer. The current procedures on cancer management are based on the treatment provided by the hospitals or health facilities, but little education and awareness creation activities have been undertaken to increase the level of care after receiving treatment. As a result, many patients take a long time to return to their previous health status and some of them suffer from a recurrence of cancer. Many health care providers do not provide quality care to the patient and this limits the speed of recovery as the patient sufferers from other social, health and physical problems (Link, 2007).
Detailed explanation of proposed solution
This project proposes a number of possible solutions to this problem. There is a need for everyone who has a stake in provision of care to cancer patients to have sufficient knowledge on the issues affecting the patients before and after treatment. This means that everyone needs to have all the information they can get on the cancer treatment and the kind of care needed to help the patient recover and prevent a recurrence of the problem. The proposed solution to this problem includes educational and awareness creation activities (Michell, 2010). This will start with the staff members. This is aimed at ensuring that they are aware of the fats on cancer treatment and the problems associated with the recovery process. This entails providing them with information from various research projects that have been done to identify the challenges and the solution to the challenges faced by recovering cancer patients. The next step would be to obtain permission from the management to conduct awareness creation programs in the different areas especially in those areas identified to be mostly affected by the problem (Jatoi, 1999).
In this case, the target population will be women and young girls. Because this is a common problem and affects women of all ages and social status, it will be important to identify this population and look for ways to reach and help them know the risks associated with cancer and the importance of undergoing screening. This entails educational programs targeting this population. However, the focus will be on those women in the recovery wards who are form surgeries or those who attend the hospital for therapies. With all the information on the possible remedies to the problems encountered by women recovering from breast cancer, it will be possible to come up with different ways in which the women can apply to overcome the numerous challenges they face (Kelly, 1999). Some of the proposed solutions to the problems encountered may include nutritional education programs, awareness creation by demonstrating how important it is for every cancer patient to adapt to a regular exercising routine to help them overcome wastage of muscles common among patients recovering from cancer therapy (Dow, 1999).
This will be done in well defines steps with the first step being assessing the problems which in this case is the lack of sufficient information for patients recovering from cancer treatment. The next step will be identifying the target population, these are the young women, and girls in their recovery stages and those diagnosed with cancer and are undergoing treatment. The third step will be implementing the plan, which entails providing them with detailed and well-outlined information on the necessary information about the recovery process and what they need to do to prevent a recurrence of the problem and ensure they regain a healthy status. The next step will involve evaluation and monitoring of the project, (Gradishar & Wood, 2008). This step entails checking to see how the project is progressing. It is important to ensure that those who leave the health facility maintain the diet and adapt to healthy lifestyle and this will form a part of the monitoring and evaluation of the project.
Rationale for selecting proposed solution
The proposed solution is the best way to counter the challenges faced by women recovering from breast cancer. Many people focus on the treatment of cancer, but forget that there is a lot to be done once a patient leaves a health facility. The need for education and provision of knowledge on cancer management especially for patients recovering from mastectomies and therapy should be a priority in any health setting. This will help the patients adapt to a new lifestyle that will help them overcome the after effects of cancer treatment and lead a healthy life that do not put them at risk of developing the problem once again (Harmer, 2011).
Evidence from your review of literature
Numerous researches have been conducted on the recovery of women with breast cancer. It is clear for the research that many cancer patients face many problems once they leave a health facility and try to fit into their previous lifestyles. There are numerous challenges and they include lack of appetite, weight loss, social dysfunctions, and psychological discomforts including negative emotions and lack of interest in their previous activities, physical problems and failure to fit back into their roles in the family (DeGregorio & Wiebe, 1996).
Women recovering from cancer treatment have to fit into the society, but they are faced with numerous obstacles as they try to embrace the changes in their bodies. Some may opt to do a reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy, while others will decide against the procedure. This means that the women will be faced with image changes that may lead to isolation from friends and family members (Barber, Thomas & Dixon, 2008). The members of the society mostly attribute this to a negative take on women with breast cancer. The other issue women face is physical discomfort that is mostly attributed to loss of appetite and the amount of energy and time that women put into the recovery procedures. Recovering from cancer is not a one-time thing as the patient will still have symptoms like omitting that may continue for a while after treatment. This leads to numerous physical and health issues that may make one slim and lose a lot of weight. The other issue that comes out clearly is one the marital and family roles expected from the woman. The changes in one’s body may affect their sexual drive and lack of interest in family matters. This is worse for women with young children who depend on them for emotional and physical support. This is the part where other family members like husbands need to come in and give them the support they require (Breast cancer, 2000).
Description of implementation logistics
The process of implementing the changes to the system will be a systematic one. The first people to take on the task will be the management who will have to agree on the proposals of the project. The process of educating the staff will be the responsibility of a few nurses who will undergo training on the project requirements (Hunt, 2008). The nurses selected to undergo training will be the ones in charge of their groups and will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the project within the specified groups. This will take two weeks and then the nurses will be assigned a group of five nurses where their responsibilities will be to give them in-depth information on the project and guide them through the requirements and how to implement the process. Focus will be on how best the nurses take on their role. The nurse will have to ensure that they provide lessons to all patients on how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyles and outline the challenges the patients are likely to face once they leave the health facility and how best they can overcome them (Wiseman, 2000).
Resources required for implementation
The process of implementing the plan will require resurges to help make the project a success. Some of the resources required include handouts printed for the patients to take home with them that will act as a guide to the things they need to observe when they leave the hospital, (Zimmerman, 2004). The other requirement will be posters to be posted in notice boards around the organization. This will include information on the project and act as a reminder to everyone include in the implantation of the project on the importance of his or her participation. Memos will be circulated by the management to all departments to ensure that the nurses are aware of their responsibilities in regards to the project. The staff will require pamphlets that provide a well laid out plan on the project and provide links where they can find further information on the issue (Taghian, 2010).
Assessment tools to be used in this project include questionnaires that will be given to the patients to evaluate the role of the nurses in delivery sufficient information on the issue. The questionnaires will also serve as a tool to get information on the challenges faced by patients who are recovering. This will be of great importance in assessing the effectiveness of the project in educating the women on the kid of life they are bound to face once they leave the facility. The project will require funds to be used in printing the pamphlets and the handouts to be given to the patients and nurses.
References
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Dow, K. H. (1999). Pocket guide to breast cancer. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett.
Fallowfield, L., & Clark, A. (1991). Breast cancer. London: Tavistock/Routledge.
Gradishar, W. J., & Wood, W. C. (2008). Advances in breast cancer management (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
Harmer, V. (2011). Breast cancer nursing: care and management (2nd ed.). Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.
Hunt, K. K. (2008). Breast cancer (2nd ed.). New York: Springer.
Jatoi, I. (1999). Breast cancer management. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders.
Kelly, P. (1999). What you need to know about breast cancer a book for women with breast cancer and those who care about them. Hamilton, Ont.: Empowering Press.
Link, J. S. (2007). The breast cancer survival manual: a step-by-step guide for the woman with newly diagnosed breast cancer (4th ed.). New York: H. Holt.
Michell, M. (2010). Breast cancer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Taghian, A. G. (2010). Breast cancer a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and management. New York: Demos Medical Pub..
Wiseman, L. R. (2000). Breast cancer management. Auckland: Adis International.
Zimmerman, B. T. (2004). Understanding breast cancer genetics. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
