Health Belief Model: Application in Nursing Practice
By examining the concept of perceived benefits pertaining to this model, the application within the scope of a case manager RN is limitless. According to McEwan (2012), the
definition of perceived benefit is a belief linked to the success of anticipatory actions; a belief that altering behavior may lessen the health risk. One example is the discharge planning of a patient with congestive heart failure. By providing education to the patient before discharge regarding the benefits of follow up monitoring and teaching at home by a skilled home care nurse; this intervention may increase the quality of life and prevent a readmission to the hospital. The patient needs to be accepting of the belief that post discharge nursing services in conjunction with self-efficacy may provide him or her with an improved quality of life.
The implications of using this model in an advanced practice setting is the ability to differentiate between concepts of belief and meaning to help clinical nurses produce questions which can lead to more concentrated interventions. As beliefs are ingrained in the cognitive sphere of the patient and often stimulated by personal familiarities or culture, a nurse can support patients to explore beliefs by welcoming them to relate personal accounts about their families, culture and their perception of illnesses (Richer, M. & Ezer, H. 2000).Questions that would explore their beliefs may include: Before you were diagnosed, what images did the disease evoke for you? What do you believe is the cause of your illness? What do you believe will help you get through this experience?
In terms of future research, the overlap between the conceptual definitions of beliefs and meanings in the literature has caused procedural issues linked to measurement (Richer et al. 2000). This model measures attitudes and beliefs surrounding health related matters. Researchers need to decide the associated concepts pertinent to a study and select a measure that truthfully replicates the concept of attention.
definition of perceived benefit is a belief linked to the success of anticipatory actions; a belief that altering behavior may lessen the health risk. One example is the discharge planning of a patient with congestive heart failure. By providing education to the patient before discharge regarding the benefits of follow up monitoring and teaching at home by a skilled home care nurse; this intervention may increase the quality of life and prevent a readmission to the hospital. The patient needs to be accepting of the belief that post discharge nursing services in conjunction with self-efficacy may provide him or her with an improved quality of life.
The implications of using this model in an advanced practice setting is the ability to differentiate between concepts of belief and meaning to help clinical nurses produce questions which can lead to more concentrated interventions. As beliefs are ingrained in the cognitive sphere of the patient and often stimulated by personal familiarities or culture, a nurse can support patients to explore beliefs by welcoming them to relate personal accounts about their families, culture and their perception of illnesses (Richer, M. & Ezer, H. 2000).Questions that would explore their beliefs may include: Before you were diagnosed, what images did the disease evoke for you? What do you believe is the cause of your illness? What do you believe will help you get through this experience?
In terms of future research, the overlap between the conceptual definitions of beliefs and meanings in the literature has caused procedural issues linked to measurement (Richer et al. 2000). This model measures attitudes and beliefs surrounding health related matters. Researchers need to decide the associated concepts pertinent to a study and select a measure that truthfully replicates the concept of attention.