Using Patient & Family Centred Care to Create Exceptional Patient Experiences By Kristy Leavitt, Patient & Family Centred Care, Alberta Health Services
Why did you become an LPN? Perhaps you always wanted to work in healthcare, or you find the human body fascinating, or perhaps you loved the idea of being able to wear scrubs every day. Whatever the reasons, I imagine one of them was that you have a genuine desire to care for and help others. That’s where patient and family centred care comes in. Let’s talk about what patient and family centred care is, why it matters, and how you can incorporate it in your daily work in order to create positive patient and family experiences.
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care | volume 32 issue 1
Patient and family centred care (PFCC) can mean different things to different people. At its core, PFCC means working in partnership with patients and family members in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health services. It means building a culture of healthcare that arranges care around the patient and their family, not around the health system. There are four principles of PFCC to guide us as we work with patients and families: 1. Respect & Dignity - Treating patients and families with respect and dignity; listening to and honouring their perspectives, choices, beliefs, and values. 2. Participation - Inviting patients and families to participate in their care and in decision-making at the level they choose.
