The care‐planning conference: Exploring aspects of person‐centred interactions

• Published in: Nursing open 2018-04, Vol.5 (2), p.120-130
• Main Authors: Jobe, Ingela, Lindberg, Birgitta, Nordmark, Sofi, Engström, Åsa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aged care; care plan; case study research; Centre - eHealth Innovation Centre (EIC); Centrumbildning - Centrum för Innovation och eHälsa (EIC); Clinical decision making; Communication; Decision making; documentation; Elder care; ethics; Home health care; Medical ethics; Medical personnel; Nursing; Nursing care; Omvårdnad; Patient care planning; Patient-centered care; patient‐centred care; primary care; qualitative approaches
• ISSN: 2054-1058; 2054-1058
• DOI: 10.1002/nop2.118

Aim The aim of this study was to describe the care‐planning conference from the participants' and researchers' perspectives, focusing on exploring aspects of person‐centred interactions. Design A single‐instrumental, qualitative case study design was used describing a care‐planning conference taking place in the home of an older woman and her daughter. Methods Data collection consisted of observation and digital recording of the care‐planning conference and individual interviews with all the participants before and after the conference. Data were analysed in several phases: first, a narrative description followed by a general description and, thereafter, qualitative content analysis. Results The findings revealed that the care‐planning conference conducted had no clear purpose and did not fulfil all parts of the planning process. Three themes emerged related to aspects of person‐centred interactions. The theme “expectations meet reality” showed different expectations, and participants could not really connect during the conference. The theme “navigate without a map” revealed health professionals' lack of knowledge about the care‐planning process. The theme “lose the forest for the trees” described that the conference was conducted only as part of the health professionals' duties. Management and healthcare professionals cannot automatically assume that they are delivering person‐centred care. Healthcare professionals need to be sensitive to the context, use the knowledge and tools available and continuously evaluate and reassess the work carried out.