Inspiration is driving a student who is aspiring to hold a nursing job in Southern Louisiana as she tackles health matters with her patients, many of whom are overweight, according to a press release.
Monica Alleman won a $4,000 grant earlier this year from the American Nurse Practitioner Foundation to instruct providers of health care on methods of cutting down on the causes and effects of childhood obesity. The doctor of nursing practice student at Loyola University in New Orleans tries to inspire rather than mandate her charges.
"We can more effectively engage patients in healthy living and I believe it's by us the providers changing how we communicate with our patients," the nursing student said. "Research shows the more patients talk about their own change, the more likely they are going to start to try to change."
Her techniques include motivational interview practices and conversations that illicit the patient’s own solutions versus commanding solutions, resulting in healthier patients.
Nurses provide assistance to patients and their families in preparation for medical procedures while also offering emotional support during challenging circumstances, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.