Assessment Task 1: Written Reflection
This reflection utilises Driscoll’s “What?” Model of Structured Reflection to consider the application of inter-professional communication in the ‘Pregnant Stroke’ video; “Handover”. Inter-professional communication is defined as clear, quality information that aids in the delivery of excellent health care. (Arnold & Boggs, 2011) Handovers between healthcare workers that use inter-professional practices succeed in providing quality health.
In the example video of a handover, the paramedic is telling the nurse the history of the patient that is being transferred to the nurse’s care. The paramedic introduces himself and the patient to the nurse and then delves in to the patient’s history. We find out the patient’s name is sally, a 35 year old pregnant female, who is 28 weeks pregnant. She has a family history on hypertension and stroke, and Sally’s husband, David tells the paramedic that sally is not currently on any medication, and she has no known allergies. David called the ambulance because at breakfast, Sally appeared to faint/ lose consciousness, and David supported her to the ground. Sally did not hit her head on the way down to the ground, and the paramedics found her on the ground when they arrived, and David had made sally comfortable with a cushion. Upon the paramedic’s examination, Sally was found to be hypertensive – her blood pressure was 180/110. Sally showed signs of tachycardia, and had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) reading of 13, although it is unspecified at which points she lost two points from the maximum 15 – the paramedic just states that she is unable to speak and communicates by nodding or shaking her head, and that her right pupil is slightly dilated, and the left pupil is equal and reacting. Sally’s breathing is fine, and no other abnormalities were detected. The paramedic then tells sally that he is