MODULE 3

Module three gave you the opportunity to explore how the various people we interact with in the health care environment make meaning of their illness and of their situation. It has also given you the opportunity to reflect on how you relate to that and to make meaning of your own experiences.

For your assessment:

Review and refine your reflection from the activity for this module to a 350 word paragraph.

Reflect on the personal perceptions and meaning of health, illness, dying and death as appropriate in the specialty practice area. [LO7]
The perspectives on and understanding of health, illness, dying and the experience of someone’s death is a very personal matter and the meaning a persona ascribes to it varies from person to person. As nurses it is important for us to understand that different people view these concepts and experiences in a variety of ways, and some of those ways may surprise or even dismay us.

For this module you are asked to explore some of the writings in the public domain on how people have made meaning of their health related issues.

Exploring how people perceive a variety of issues in health, illness and dying may help us make meaning of it, both in terms of our own views on these concepts, and in terms of how the people in our care or people related to those in our care, may respond to alterations in health and experience illness.
Reflection is not a new concept, the ancient Greek philosopher Plato insisted that reflection and ultimately change was important component of our humanity.

Reflection is not an artificial technique it is inherently human and reflection and action are the impetus for change and personal improvement (Daly, Speedy & Jackson, 2014).  This being said in order to reflect fully we must know ourselves well, our drive, ambition and prejudices if we are going to understand others fully.

There are 2 videos , please watch these before starting this assignment

1)The Spoon Theory”: Elucidating The Chronic Illness Experience [Reading & Personal Reflection]

?2)Maggie’s story of hope, recovery & healing??

ACTIVITY
Find three articles from magazines, journals, blogs, online postings (most numerous), where the person writes about the meaning an illness has had for them.  Preferably this will be from your area of specialty practice however this may prove difficult for some specialties in this case pick a specialty area that interests you where there is information available.  Choose one article each from the following perspectives or points of view.

•    From the perspective of the person being cared for
•    From the perspective of the person closest to them (partner, parent, child, etc)
•    From the perspective of a health professional caring for such a person
•
Choose one of your readings and write a reflection on how that has changed your perspective or given you some insight into the meaning illness has for a particular person.

When writing your reflection make sure you consider your own perceptions, morals and ethics.