Discuss family-centered care, including, but not limited to, the philosophy of nursing care and the major functions of the nurse.

 

 Family centered care is a approach in health care in which patient and families are involved in planning,implementation and evaluation of health care services.The central approach of this care philosophy is to understand that family and child form an indivisible unit in which families play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of their children. It redefines the relationships in health care by placing an emphasis on collaborating with people of all ages, at all levels of care, and in all health care settings. This collaboration assures that health care is responsive to priorities, preferences, and values of patients and their families. Recognizing the importance of patients' loved ones in patients' health care experiences, clinicians try to work with patients and families to ensure their health and well-being in a mutually beneficial relationship.  Principles of FCC include listening to families, facilitating choice, sharing information, and building confidence to participate in health care decision making.  By implementing FCC, clinicians benefit by gathering more information, improving follow-through, making efficient use of professional time, and decreased health care utilization

Strategies for successful family-centered care are :

1. Communicate and collaborate- Involve designated family members, or support individuals, in care discussions, making sure they are available for multidisciplinary rounds to discuss concerns, the health care plan, and progress, and encourage them to participate. Patients and family members can provide information missing from medical charts and can recognize and speak up about errors in care delivery.
2. Promote health literacy- Patients who are—and whose family members are—unaware of potential adverse effects or benefits of medications prescribed have poor compliance. Providing information in terms patients and family members can understand and encouraging families to participate in the care of their loved ones can result in improved patient outcomes. Take time to understand any influences of language, health literacy, or social, educational, or cultural factors on patients or families. Use "teach backs" and "show backs," in which patients or family members restate information provided by clinicians or display newly taught skills to increase understanding and decrease confusion. This practice gives the care team the opportunity to discern and correct errors or misunderstandings.
3. Include the patient and family- Work toward a professional, respectful relationship with your patients, incorporating their preferences and values in care goals and plans. Identify and address patient communication needs promptly, such as assistance for family members whose preferred language is not English or who have sensory or communication impairments. Disclose and acknowledge any medical errors promptly, per your facility's policy. When making clinical decisions, consider individual patient values along with possible language barriers, cultural issues, health literacy, and other factors.

Step-by-step explanation

This movement arose from the recognition that the separation of parents and children during hospitalization generates significant harm in children, so that, among other modifications, shared decision-making, joint hospitalizations, open doors (free 24 hours visits), visits by siblings, pain management, lactation and breastfeeding support were gradually allowed.

Family centered care can improve the safety and quality of patient care and outcomes. Clinical benefits include:  lower mortality rates, decreased readmission rate, fewer healthcare associated infections, reduced length of stay, increased adherence to treatment during hospitalization and on discharge, improved delivery of preventative care services, improved functional status.

Benefits for clinicians may include: greater trust and respect between patients and clinicians ,more meaningful patient relationships, leading to greater work satisfaction,improved quality and safety of care, the ability to provide better treatment and care based on more accurate patient information, fewer adverse events, due to patient and carer involvement in risk prevention strategies,  satisfaction that care is based on an understanding of the patient's needs and improved communication and relationships between disciplines.

The benefits for health services include: improved patient and carer satisfaction, increased staff satisfaction and retention rates, stronger connection with community and improved understanding of patient and carer needs and priorities, provision of innovative, relevant ideas and feedback for improvement and lower health care and insurance costs . 

There are barriers to family centered care which are from the nurses and healthcare systems. From nurses they are; cultural issues, communication problems, reduced ability to meet the physical and psychological needs of the patients and family and limited time while those from healthcare system are; lack of organizational support, financial issues, lack of continued education and mentoring programs.