Question

As you recall, number two on the National Quality Strategy Priorities is person-and family-centered care. Prior to the 1980s, family and visitors were restricted to a few hours at a time and absolutely prohibited to stay overnight. When family arrived on discharge day, they were given minimal instructions on the care of invasive treatments such as bladder irrigation and told to return only if there were problems. As a result, patients did return--with raging infections, wound dehiscence, and irreparable complications.

Fortunately, with the advent of patient-and family-centered care, readmissions have been reduced because of adequate training and participation of caregivers.

Reflect upon what you have learned about changing the concept from families as “visitors” to families as partners. Identify which policy you would prefer to see in your facility as a patient and as a healthcare leader. Use the Institute for Family- and Patient-Centered Care to view sample policies.

In your initial response by Thursday, complete the following:

1. Adopt the perspective of a family member and patient advocate. From this perspective, choose the policy you would most like to see implemented. Be specific and use the policy content to support your choice.
   • What factors make this policy most attractive to you as an advocate?
2. Adopt the perspective of a future healthcare leader. From this perspective, choose the policy you would most like to see implemented.
   • Again, be specific and use the policy content to support your opinion.
   • What factors make this policy most attractive to you as a future healthcare leader?

Answer 1

I support the new policy with heart and soul because of its change in parameters and philosophy. This policy has aligned with New Public Management system of Public Administration which focus more on citizen centric approach where citizen treated as partner. This change of guard has impressed me a lot. Earlier patient was kept isolate from the family and vice-versa. This process does not instill confidence among the family members of the patient. Though they bound to trust what the health care professional communicated with them, but a degree of doubt and mistrust arises in them because of such thing. Readmission cases were in spike due to lack of communication of medics to the family member. Though the new policy everything just reversed, and family members treated as partner for cure of the patient. Medics briefed the family about steps to be taken so that chances of infection to be low and how to care patient in initial time have been sensitized to the family members.