Nursing Care: Building Meaningful Connections for Person-Centered Wellbeing

I am typing this as I dust off my open toe sandals and store away my winter coat. Brighter, sunnier, longer days = mood elevated and the feeling that anything is possible. I will continue where I left off and introduce you properly to Joyce. As the story unfolds you will hopefully see all the hard work that followed, since Joyce gave me that ‘lightbulb’ moment.

Building a Connection: The Meaningful Bond with Joyce

Joyce is a resident at a care home where I used to work. She enjoyed long chats, so I often stayed after medication to talk to her in a person-centred way. This wasn’t always possible at earlier times as I would also need to consider the other residents who were requiring medication. So sometimes this would mean Joyce would wait until last.

Joyce welcomed me into her world – sharing family photos and stories. Showing me her hand painted art and reading clippings of religious material which she made her think of me on my days off.

I in turn introduced Joyce into my world – showing her pictures of my dog, Sam and bringing him in to visit.

Once I took a picture of a painting that was hanging in Joyce’s’ room, a wedding anniversary present which she is extremely fond of but knew little about.

I then attempted to research its origin and background on line for her. I also often discussed  issues I had with my partner Rob regarding the difficulties of being so far away from each other.

Joyce seemed to enjoy listening as much as she did talking and always offered a kind word of advice and would often ask how Rob and Sam are doing.

A Glimpse into Nursing: Balancing Work and Person-Centered Care

Within nursing I have found that if you are seen to be talking you are seen to be not working. I feel this is part of assessing and monitoring the person in your care albeit an informal method.

What about person centred care, mental health and wellbeing, patient choice and job satisfaction? It seems that these are not always accounted for in the budget and staff numbers.

I have lost count of how many times I have said ‘…Won’t be a minute’.  Apologising and then we would laugh that a nurse’s time zone is different from the rest of the world.

I will also admit that I have asked other members of staff to come and get me. If I know that a certain family member/resident will keep me much longer than I can afford to give them.

This is not through malice or not being interested in stories but me trying to work in a way that is for the greater good. With Joyce it was a compromise of her wanting that time and me wanting to get medication administered within a reasonable time – that’s why we would chat after.

I would listen to how Joyce felt living in a care home and it very quickly emerged that it really was the small things that were important to her – a cup of tea when she would like it, a raised chair to help her see the view from her window, a chat and simply being treated with respect and dignity.

Empathy and Inspiration: Raising Standard in Care

I’m not sure I had ever listened to anyone as much as I had Joyce and to see things from a service user’s eyes, at times was upsetting.

Not that Joyce was being mistreated like you see on Panorama but just missing out on the simple things which we take for granted … like being able to pop the kettle on… I have done it twice since typing this blog.

It was through conversations with Joyce and the staff group I was working with who would joke about an idealistic care home we called ‘Joyce’s Palace’.

‘Oh it won’t be like this in Joyce’s Palace’.  ‘Oh this will certainly be happening in Joyce’s Palace’, ‘In Joyce’s Palace we will have x,y,z’.

This without realising it, was the start of my quest in developing an intensive, practical, relevant carer’s induction course.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

Speak to you next month and… have the best day ever!

Jenna

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Highlights from Jenna Story

Building Connections with Residents in Care

1️⃣ Personalised Care: Building connections in care homes is key. Taking time to chat and engage in activities that matter to each resident can really improve their experience.

2️⃣ Individual Attention: Each person has unique likes and needs. Some may enjoy sharing stories, while others need different ways to feel valued.

3️⃣ Respecting Belongings: Showing interest in residents’ personal items, like photos or artwork, helps build trust and comfort.

4️⃣ Sharing Experiences: Building bonds goes both ways. Sharing a bit about yourself can help form a strong connection.

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Other Blogposts

• Power of Person-Centred Care: Putting Patients First for Better Outcomes
• How Nurses Can Provide Emotional Support to Patients and Families
• Mastering Effective Communication in Nursing

Balancing Care with Work Tasks

1️⃣ Work and Care Balance: In nursing, it’s important to strike a balance between tasks and spending time with residents. Prioritising care without missing essential tasks is key.

2️⃣ Empathy: Truly caring means understanding what matters to each resident, no matter how small, which boosts their happiness and well-being.

3️⃣ Respect and Dignity: Simple gestures—offering a warm drink or a comfortable seat—show respect and make residents feel valued.

Empathy in Care

1️⃣ Seeing Through Their Eyes: Listening and understanding from each resident’s viewpoint can greatly impact their quality of life.

2️⃣ Improving Care: Talking with residents and other carers often sparks new ideas for better care. Making care more personalised and compassionate is always the goal.

3️⃣ Always Improving: Good care grows through constant improvement. Finding ways to make positive changes in how we care is essential in healthcare.

Also Read: 

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults: Advocating for Their Protection.