Health promotion is the science or art that enables people to discover the synergies between optimal health and their core passions, thus enhancing their motivation to achieve good health and assisting them in changing their lives so as to move towards an optimal health status. Therefore, in other words, health promotion can be further explained to be the process that enables individuals to increase control over their health status and its determinants, and ultimately improving on their health. Generally, optimal health is perceived to be the dynamic balance of physical, spiritual, social and intellectual health. Consequently, various life changes can be facilitated by means of combining learning experiences enhances awareness, build skills, increase motivation and most importantly leading to positive health practices. In this paper, I will seek to review and compare three nursing articles on managing patients with stroke and relate them to various aspects regarding health promotion.
According to the article Secondary Stroke Prevention in 2011: An update on Available Options authored by Shelly Ozark and Brian Silver, the issue of health promotion has been largely defined in the manner at which they have explained the interventions for secondary stroke. In this essay, the authors assume a multi-factorial approach that not only includes the pharmacological aspect such as the use of anti-platelets or anti-coagulants but also through the approach on changes in lifestyle such as smoking, diet, cessation and exercise. Similarly, the article End of life for patents following acute stroke is imperative to health promotion with regard to stroke management as it creates awareness on improving the quality of end of care in all clinical areas (Cowey, 2012). It enhances health promotion by suggesting that education on stroke care should be adequately incorporate multi-disciplinary working, effective communication with patients and their families, and adopting an anticipatory care prescribing and planning. According to the article c health promotion has been defined through how the article passionately strives to highlight the lack of optimal detection of hypertension and blood pressure in the UK despite the current initiatives in the prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) (James, 2010, p.322).
The fundamental purpose of health promotion occurs through developing an array of healthy public policies that addresses the pre-requisites of health such as housing, income, employment, food insecurity and quality working conditions. James Lamble, the current framework for the absolute CVD risk assessment is inclusive of the JBS2 risk score, the QRISK tool and the ASSIGN risk score. These are all measures that have been taken up to promote health of individuals through assessment of risks that clearly indicates primary prevention medication or a change of lifestyle for prevention or treatment of CVD. The role of health promotion also becomes evident through Eileen Cowey argument on end of life care for the patients with acute stroke. End of life has been place as a key priority for the NHS in England due to its effective approach especially after a national audit in England showed that more than half of all deaths occurs in healthcare facilities and that there is need for improvement with regard to communication, religious and spiritual care, and support from family before and after end of life.
Another important aspect of health promotion is understanding the implementation methods used and how they encompasses all areas of nursing. In order to ensure that the implementation and monitoring of health promotion has been effected as required, the action plan therefore needs to be availed to the executive management of the hospital for appropriate action to be taken. For instance, the implementation of the Secondary Stroke Prevention in 2011: An update on Available Options the implementation process involves the use of various strategies such as the blood pressure control method, aggressive treatment of atrial fibrillation, lipid modification among other implementation strategies that are based on life-style interventions (Ozark & Silver, 2011, p 373). It has clearly highlighted all the benefits and disadvantages of long term antiplatelet therapies as a method of secondary stroke prevention. It is also important for one to identify themselves with the levels of prevention in the quest of health promotion. These levels of prevention ranges from primary, secondary to tertiary levels.
Primary Level of health promotion prevention
The primary level of health promotion is the basic level. Its strategies usually emphasizes on the general health promotion and the reduction of risk factors among other protective measures. According to the protective approach in regard to hypertension as is explained by Shelly Ozark and Brian Silver, the need of health education in this level is key. These primary preventive measures may include immunisation against various communicable diseases, stress management and exercise.
Secondary level of health promotion prevention
In this level, early detection and the swift treatment of diseases is the main objective. Its fundamental role is to cure diseases, lower its progression and ultimately reduce the diseases impact on individuals. For instance, the issue of medication selection for blood pressure lowering as explained by Shelly Ozark and Brian Silver is a good example of the secondary level of health promotion. In addition, some of the examples of secondary level of prevention as explained in the articles includes screening for any cardiopulmonary dysfunctions in stroke patients.
Tertiary level of health promotion prevention
Tis level comprises the strategies that includes rehabilitative and therapeutic measures after a diseases has been firmly established. In the context of the articles under review, the use of therapeutics approach in the management of patients with stroke as explained in Hypertension in primary and secondary prevention of CVD page 336 is one of the best examples of the tertiary level prevention in practice. In addition the two other articles clearly explains tertiary level prevention when they seek to improve functioning of the stroke patients through the use of rehabilitation strategy by occupational and physical therapy or through nursing care.
References
Cowey, E. (2012). End of life care for patients following acute stroke. Nursing Standard,
26(27), 42-46.
Lambie, J. (2010). Hypertension in primary and secondary prevention of CVD. British
Ozark, S., & Silver, B. (2011). secondary stroke Prevention in 2011: an update on available
options. Medicine and Health-Rhode Island, 94(12), 372.
