The Self-Management in Medical Care of Patients With the Condition - Paper Example

From a personal perspective, a journal entry on an issue makes it easier to comprehend it concerning its implications on an individual and to the community. An entry makes it possible to introduce an issue and make a reflection on its significance and the need for understanding it. My journal entry focuses on diabetes which is among the terminal diseases. Due to medical and technological advancements, individuals with the condition live longer when compared to the recent years. Diabetes is described as a diseases associated with the bodys level of blood glucose whereby the level of blood glucose for a patient with diabetes is too high.

Description of the issue

I chose the condition because I have a direct experience with it. My spouse has type two diabetes which I understand entails the body being unable to utilize insulin adequately. Also, when the insulin is not enough, blood glucose tends to remain in the blood. I also took care of patients with diabetes during my internship as a medical assistant which exposed me to the basics of the condition regarding its causes and the treatment methods. With my spouses condition and my experience during my internship, I have learned that there is need to provide adequate support, particularly on the treatment and diet. A patient is expected to engage in a healthy eating habit and regular physical exercise. He or she is also supposed to stop smoking if it was a norm and to limit the amount of alcohol intake in addition to ensuring that the body weight is healthy. I am only familiar with the basics of the condition as I have not yet engaged in the work environment. However, the short experience has enabled me to comprehend the experiences of the patients and the relevance of adequate support. I have also learned that there is the need for the patients to receive professional advice for them to adequately manage the condition even in the absence of a medical practitioner. Some patients tend to strain a lot or view physical exercise and adjusting to healthy diets as challenging. Therefore, they require support and advice on how to adjust to the activities for them to maintain healthy lifestyles.

Putting theory into practice

Self-management is viewed as central when it comes to medical care of patients with the condition. The self-management, in this case, includes a change in behavior mostly on physical exercise and diet patterns (Peek et.al 406). The common perception is that modification of behavior is associated with various factors regarding diabetes which may apply when preventing the condition and during its onset. Also, changes in lifestyle may protect individuals who are at high risk of suffering from the condition (Peek et.al 406).. A theory associated with controlling and treating the condition is the health belief model. The model hypothesizes that healthy behaviors are affected by the views on threats, the consequences of a condition and its severity (Peek et.al 451). Other factors include the barriers associated with a change in behavior and the beliefs regarding the benefits associated with the change in behavior. The idea is that patients should first hold the belief that they risk acquiring a condition in addition to suffering from its complications before a change in behavior may take place to decrease the associated risks. The perception of risks is viewed to have significantly assisted in the acquisition of healthy behavior that includes sticking to a healthy diet. In other words, when a patient is aware of the risks associated with a poorly balanced diet and the lack of physical exercise, he or she becomes intrinsically motivated to engage in a healthy lifestyle without being frequently reminded by the medical practitioners (Peek et.al 451). The model includes self-efficacy that entails a patient developing confidence that he or she can handle an activity such that it becomes easier to exercise behavioral change. Self-efficacy puts into view the presence of self-persuasions that include encouragements or discouragements presented to an individual that impact his or her self-efficacy. When a patient receives support and encouragement, he or she becomes confident and hence becomes motivated to exhibit a healthy lifestyle. A good example is making positive comments when they take part in an exercise (Peek et.al 452). From an individual viewpoint, it becomes inevitable for a medical practitioner to be familiar with the condition regarding its management and implications such that confidence is established when dealing with patients with diabetes.

Therefore, as a medical practitioner, I can apply the theory when handling individuals with diabetes whereby I inform them on the risks associated with the lack of proper diet and physical exercise. The idea is for them to develop a picture of their situations when they do not practice healthy lifestyles. For example, having a spouse with diabetes 2, I will have to remind her of the risks associated with an unhealthy lifestyle to increase the drive in sticking to a good diet and engaging in regular physical exercise. Hopefully, by the end of the journal entry process, I will acquire plenty of information on the treatment and the management of diabetes and be able to apply the knowledge when engaging in the work environment.

Work Cited

Peek, Monica E. et al. "Putting Theory into Practice: Case Study-Related Behavioral Change Interventions on Chicagos South Side." Health Promotion Practice, vol 15, no. 2_suppl, 2014, pp. 405-505. SAGE Publications, doi:10.1177/1524839914532292.