This assignment is a discussion response to another student’s discussion post. T

This assignment is a discussion response to another student’s discussion post. The response post should be a minimum of 250 words. I have included the question the student answered as well as their discussion response to the question. I have also included a link to where the book can be accessed.
3. Given her unique perspective, what do you think Dr. Alvord contributes to the practice of biomedicine-Western Medicine? What does “hozho” mean and how does it impact Dr. Alvord’s practice of medicine? How does she uniquely combine her medical practice with the Navajo medical traditions and philosophies about health and patient care? What philosophy about health drives your patient care?
Dr. Alvord brings an incredibly unique perspective to healthcare. As she states, “ancient tribal ways and philosophies can help a foundering medical system find its way back to its original mission: healing” (Alvord & Van Pelt, 2000, pg. 1). First, staying in her own community and being of Navajo descent allows her to understand the cultural practices of many of the patients that come into her facility. She even mentions how she only uses touch when absolutely necessary and incorporates the language into her practice. Dr. Alvord also mentions the medicine man who visits patients in the hospital, and how they believe he will heal them. This unique perspective is understood by Dr. Alvord because she was raised in the environment that uses this technique. Another unique perspective Dr. Alvord carries is that she was once a patient during her residency. She described how she experienced aspects of the hospital that the doctors do not get to see, like loud machines cleaning the hallways at night when patients are trying to sleep. Being a patient is difficult to understand unless you have been one. There is an intense amount of fear, even when you know how everything works. It is so vulnerable, so having been a patient before, Dr. Alvord understands how to treat patients more deeply.
Dr. Alvord fell in love with the human body because it reminded her of the Navajo ways. Hohzo means beautiful, and this is how she views the body and all of its processes. There must always be hohzo present and a balance of the body, mind, and spirit in the operating room. In one instance, Dr. Alvord describes how a lack of a therapeutic relationship between her and her patient and difficulty in the operating room resulted in a patient having a stroke post operatively despite all of the tests being negative for markers. Following this experience, Dr. Alvord made it a point to maintain hohzo by creating comfortable relationships with patients prior to operating on them and not allowing disharmony in the OR.
Personally, it was difficult for me to think of a philosophy that drives my own patient care. The most important values in my nursing practice are advocacy, dignity, and justice. I have been a patient with health issues before. I left urgent care feeling as if no one listened to my complaints when I reported feeling heart arrythmias. The doctor ordered a 12-lead EKG, which resulted in normal sinus rhythm (of course the arrythmia does not happen when you want it to), and they sent me on my way without any more testing. A week later I had returned, this time receiving blood work to find out my potassium was low. In the moment, I wish I had someone there advocating for me and asking for more tests, blood work being a fairly basic one. This drives the advocacy I aim to have for my patients. I also want to ensure dignity and justice because patients often feel they have no control over their care or body. I always want to have my patients feel empowered in any way I can.
Book access here: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL24749465M/The_scalpel_and_the_silver_bear