Importance And Importance Of Person Centred Care

Person centred care, is in essence, one of the most important and significant aspects in delivering effective and unique care within nursing practice. The phrase has been embedded within healthcare practice with individuals somewhat understanding the components of its meaning yet not quite comprehending how to express the concept when delivering care. With its prevalence comes a need for it to be better understood in order for effective practice to occur and for this reason it has become a prominent focus point for various academics. Brendan McCormack and Tanya McCance acknowledged person centred care to have a primary focus on traits including therapeutic relationships; individuality; human rights and the promotion of autonomy so that individuals

The Nursing and Midwifery code of conduct states that in order for nurses to practice effectively they must be able to work and communicate effectively with colleagues. Multidisciplinary working helps to ensure both patients and staff are kept informed about the care of the patient and that any risks can be identified and reduced. Multidisciplinary teamwork in healthcare has a key role in creating a culture which is safe and effective in deciding upon the best practice related to patient specific care. It has become apparent in some organisations, the importance of multidisciplinary working with one example being the Francis report of the shortcomings in care at Mid Staffordshire Hospital where patients suffered appallingly due to the lack of person centred care with one such concern being professional disengagement where clinicians where not raising concerns to colleagues. Baylis, D 2014. This need for networking and shared knowledge is a focus point in the Person Centred Framework (McCormack and McCance 2010) where it is showcased that a prerequisite of nurses is to have developed interpersonal skills in order to encompass a positive care environment where effective staff relationships are formed. This then has an impact on the ability to share decisions and ultimately impacts person centred outcomes of creating a culture which is central to the

Dignity and respect is another pivotal principle promoted by The Nursing and Midwifery Code. It is no secret that nurses must acknowledge each and every person as an individual and are aware that maintaining their dignity is a vital aspect of the individual feeling valued, respected and central to the care given. It is imperative that patients feel that they are in an environment where they can freely express their wish and need for help and that they are not being ignored but rather being understood and that nurses are listening attentively to them. Nursing Science Quarterly, Vol. 17 No. 1, January 2004, 86-91. The RCN (2008) clarifies that when nurses reflect professionalism within practice that see them treating patients with dignity and respect, the patients begin to feel a sense of autonomy and control of their own life. They tend to feel more valued as an individual and become much more confident when they feel the need to express their views regarding care or to raise any concerns which they may have. The uniqueness and intrinsic value of the individual person is acknowledged and each person is treated with