title: Primary nursing--an alternative approach for midwives.
abstract: In task allocation and team nursing systems the least complex task is given to the least trained staff member and the most complex task is given to a more skilled worker, registered nurses often do no more than checking up on others. Primary nursing is a way of thinking and working with patients that challenges outdated and traditional nursing hierarchies and supports the way forward for professional nurses. Primary nursing allows nurses to provide consistent individualised care and encourages the nurse to practice with greater professional autonomy. Task allocation, team nursing and even patient allocation methods of nursing are not wholly supportive of individualised and humanistic care. In contrast, primary nursing presents a structure in which the care planner and principle care giver are the same person. With the focus on helping the client to make her own decisions and greater professional autonomy for nurses, primary nursing is an ideal method of patient care delivery for the specialty of post-natal nursing. The way nursing activities are organised reflects the attitude towards holistic care of the patient and primary nursing is an unconditional patient-centred method of nursing care delivery and the way forward for the professionalism and autonomy of nurses.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009721:Nurse Midwives; D009746:Nursing, Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011321:Primary Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*