Person-centered care has become the gold standard in quality of life and care in skilled nursing homes and assisted living communities. But, does your staff really know what person-centered care is and does your corporate office care? We know that person-centered care improves the lives of residents, but did you know that it also is associated with increased job satisfaction, emotional commitment and lower turnover among your staff? This type of care can only work when leadership and your corporate office are all in.
Person-Centered Care in a Nutshell
Person-centered care places the resident at the center of the care planning choice-making about daily life, receiving treatments and care and living as independently as possible. The resident drives his or her care, not the staff. Delivering this high level of care depends upon how much the staff get to really know the resident’s preferences and life-style in order to provide for their needs and values. It respects personhood and emphasizes the importance of relationships.
Why PCC is so Important
Some companies implement person-centered measures because they believe they are doing the right thing for their residents, families and their staff. Others do it because they think they have an edge in marketing. Regardless why they do it, research has shown some very positive resident outcomes including:
- Increased quality of life
- Enhanced quality of care
- Increased resident satisfaction
- Increased family satisfaction
Studies also show positive benefits for the staff including:
- Greater job satisfaction
- Higher retention rates
- Improved work effectiveness
- A greater ability to thrive at work
- Employee embeddedness and engagement
With outcomes like these, who would get in the way of delivering person-centered care?
Organizational Factors
Two key factors that can make or break person-centered initiatives are the organizational culture and leaders at the community level – specifically the director of nursing and administrator.
Capacity and Climate
Organizational factors can directly influence the quality of care as well as how services are delivered to residents. All organizations possess capacity which influences operations on the ground and resources available for employees. They also have a climate in which employees perceive many relevant things like the goodness of the organization, staff relationships, how care takes place, and relationships with leaders and residents.
Processes
Organizations also influence the processes of care which ultimately result in resident outcomes such as resident satisfaction, reduced problems and sustainability of care.
External and Internal Environments
Although care staff are already in a position to deliver person-centered care, they need support from their company and this support comes from two sources – the external and internal environment. The external environment involves rules and regulations and quality standards, all of which influence quality of care and life. It also involves adequate budgeting for proper staffing, training and education, supplies and capital improvements.
The internal environment involves staff and leadership, namely the director of nursing, first and foremost, because he or she is in charge of care, and the administrator.
Directors of Nursing and Administrators Matter
While these leaders have lots of roles to play and factors to focus on, they have the responsibility for shaping the overall culture and climate of the care community as well as its operations. They are key in facilitating person-centered care, to create positive perceptions among their staff, and reward those who deliver excellent care and services.
Final Thoughts on Person-Centered Care
Person-centered care is associated with wonderful outcomes for both residents and staff. Some organizations get it right and others do their best. Some have yet to jump on the PCC train. Research has shown that higher quality care communities are more likely to have true person-centered care practices than nursing homes with lower quality of care. The two most important drivers of PCC – which can also block it from happening, are the organization and leadership. Which scenario does your situation sound like?