Please read my discussion then read and respond to Kim and Breen posts with comments that may compare your definition and examples with theirs, expand on their responses, request clarification, and/or respectfully challenge their thinking.
MY DISCUSSION:
Person-centered care is an approach in healthcare that places the patient at the centre by accommodating the patient’s preferences, needs and values. Person-centered care encourages collaboration between the patient, healthcare team, and family to develop treatment strategies that are accepted and supported by the needs and values of the patient. The main goal of patient-centered care is to improve overall healthcare outcomes, quality of healthcare services, and patient satisfaction. Person-centered care is effective in the modern era because it is holistic care that considers the spiritual, social, physical, and emotional needs of the patient. Additionally, person-centered care encourages effective communication in healthcare where accurate information such as treatment plans, conditions and costs are shared with patients and their families (Kwame & Petrucka, 2021).
One of the examples of how I might engage in person-centered care as a professional nurse is developing shared decision-making for a patient about to undergo surgery. The patient states that he fears surgery due to the risks involved and high cost, but as a professional nurse, I can engage him by providing the benefits of surgery and showing medical plans available in the hospital. Due to this, I can encourage the patient to ask questions about areas they fear about the treatment, explain the risks and benefits, and include their families in developing a care plan that accommodates the patient’s values and goals (Dykes et al., 2020). Another example of how I might engage in person-centered care as a professional nurse is by understanding patients from cultures that have dietary restrictions. As a professional nurse, I can learn the cultural practices of the patient and arrange meals that are allowed by their culture, hence respecting the patient’s preferences and cultural background.
One of the ways nursing ethics guide person-centered care is by supporting autonomy when providing healthcare services. Nursing ethics require nurses to respect patients’ right to make their decisions regarding the care they need (Ekman, 2022). For example, a nurse provides various treatment options for cancer, but the patients and their families choose their treatment. Nursing ethics guide person-centered care by ensuring nurses are obligated to good to promote the well-being of patients. Nurses use available resources and their qualifications to offer healthcare services that meet patients’ personal needs. For example, a nurse may prioritize pain management for patients with chronic back pain to promote the quality and comfort of their lives regardless of their conditions.
Kim:
I see person-centered care as an approach where the patient’s unique preferences, values, and needs are placed at the heart of care decisions. It means respecting the individual beyond their diagnosis and involving them as active participants in their treatment. In my practice, I often see this when geriatric patients are admitted with a full code status, but after discussions with the care team and family, they opt for “no CPR” or “allow natural death.” This change in code status reflects their personal choices and has a major impact on the care plan by focusing on comfort and dignity rather than aggressive interventions.
Nursing ethics play a key role in guiding this kind of care. The principle of autonomy ensures that we respect patients’ rights to make decisions that align with their values, even in difficult situations like changing their code status. At the same time, the principle of beneficence pushes us to act in their best interest, making sure we’re always promoting their well-being. By upholding these ethical standards, we can provide care that is both compassionate and respectful of the patient’s individuality.
Breen:
Person-centered care in nursing is a form of holistic care. In this type of care, you analyze the individuality of each person you are caring for and not only the person but also the person’s family, values, beliefs, and other personal needs. Person-centered care involves the person in their care, their family members, and other support persons. Person-centered care encompasses empathy, respect, and compassion.
As a nurse, I can engage in person-centered care with good communication and, a good understanding of the person and their relationships, values, and beliefs, along with encouraging self-care and making sure to educate them appropriately. One example of using person-centered care in nursing is with the transgender population. Make sure that all staff involved in the care of a person in the transition process understand the person’s wishes, for example, the name and pronouns they wish to use. The care team would need to assess all the person’s needs, educate them of their options, and plan, and help with educating the person’s family and extended care team, with that plan. Another example of using person-centered care in nursing would be if a new mother was in the Intensive Care Unit immediately post-birth, and unable to breastfeed the new baby as she had wished or planned to. The care team would need to assess her and the baby’s needs, provide a breast pump if able, or bring the baby to the new mother for feeding as appropriate to help the mother and baby bond and keep to their original wishes of breastfeeding for long-term success.
Nursing ethics guide person-centered care by ensuring respect and dignity, along with helping encourage shared decision-making with the person. It is important not to let your personal opinions interfere with your person-centered care. Being professional and neutral is very important. Also, we need to remember that communication comes in many forms, including verbal and nonverbal. Being aware of these forms of communication can help when we are engaging in person-centered care and breaking down the barriers to care. An example of how you stand by nursing ethics with person-centered care is with a person deciding to have an abortion and making sure that when you are educating and planning for the person within your care, you keep your personal opinions and beliefs out of the communications and focus on neutral communication and education.