The Patient-Centred Nursing (PCN) Framework
Nursing is a caring profession that requires a close relationship between the nurse and the patient. Grilo, Santos, Rita, and Gomes (2014) suggest that focusing on the needs of patients should be at the core of health care. Thus, care providers should be patient-centered to support safe and quality care. The PCN model is associated with positive outcomes for patients and care providers, such as increased satisfaction. The model relates to the orientation assumed by nurses when working with their patients to provide health care services. Although many nursing frameworks are applied in practice, the PNC is at the center of quality care because it considers the critical role of the patient in the care process.
The Definition of Patient-Centred Nursing (PCN) Framework
Patient-Centered nursing is one of the effective models that inform effective patient care. It was proposed by Edith Balint in 1969 to define the central place of the patient in service provision. The model also informs the collaborative efforts of health care providers to meet the needs of patients. Interdisciplinary teams from around the PCN model work together towards a holistic approach to health services. Al Sayah, Szafran, Robertson, Bell, and Williams (2014) discuss the use of the model in creating healthcare settings in which caregivers understand the needs, beliefs, and values of patients to determine the type of care to provide. It considers the role of patients and the need to engage and communicate with the patient when providing services. Patients are significant players in making decisions regarding their care, disease prevention, and treatment (McCance & McCormack, 2017). The current policies and programs are founded on the PCN model since they incorporate the peoples’ opinions on health care.
The Nursing Metaparadigm Relating to the PCN Model
Nursing
The concept relates to the actual provision of care by the nurse. It includes the skills and abilities of nurses in providing quality care to their patients (McEwen & Wills, 2017). The relationship between the nurse and patient is important to support safety and comfort through communication between the care provider and the recipient of care.
Environment
The environment is composed of internal and external forces that have an impact on an individual’s health. It refers to the setting where nurses provide care and the surrounding that affects the person’s health (McEwen & Wills, 2017). The environment should be safe and comfortable to support the healing process and improve health.
Person
This concept in nursing refers to the individual who receives care. It includes various aspects of individuals, such as culture, spirituality, friends, and family (McEwen & Wills, 2017). The PNC model considers the role of nursing in providing care and meeting the needs of the patients.
Health
The health care process is aimed at achieving healing and restoring the patient’s health. It relates to the wellbeing and the quality of care given to patients and covers the ability to access health services (McEwen & Wills, 2017). The nurse should work with the patient to achieve the objective.
The PCN Model as a Theoretical Framework
The PCN model is applicable in empirical research since it guides the collection of data and testing of hypothesis. Therefore, it is a theoretical model that nursing students use in practice (Grilo, Santos, Rita, & Gomes, 2014). The model is useful to inform quality care to patients using comprehensive evidence. PCN framework is valuable in nursing research and practice to improve health outcomes for individuals and healthcare organizations.
Application of PCN
The PCN model plays an important role in nursing through training and practice. Nurses should learn from the beginning of their careers about the importance of placing the patient at the center of the care process. The model is critical, and hence, the nurses can understand the place of patients in the care process. Nurses should recognize their role, the role of the patient and their families when receiving care. They should support effective communication between the care provider and the recipient as part of a holistic care process. Nurses should understand the patient and their needs to ensure safety and quality of care. For example, the APN can apply the PCN framework to improve decision-making and use evidence-based practice in treatment to meet the identified needs. The process involves sharing important information with patients to allow them to understand their role in the treatment and management of diseases.
Conclusion
The person-centred nursing model is vital in promoting the delivery of safe and quality care to patients. The framework is based on the importance of the patient in the care process. The model has shifted from the nursing setup where a patient was a passive recipient of care. Instead, the framework allows the patient to have an active opinion on health services. Therefore, it enables the needs of the patient to be met from the perspective of the recipient as opposed to that of the provider. The goal is achieved when a nurse creates a productive therapeutic relationship with the patient and communicates important information relating to the care process. The PCN framework supports safe and quality care through research and practice to implement evidence-based practice.