title: Nurse-patient encounters in the hospital ward, from the perspectives of older persons: an analysis using the Authentic Consciousness Framework.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a growing theoretical base to support the development of person-centred practice, the evidence would suggest that this way of working is somewhat elusive in the care of older people.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to explore nurse-older person encounters and relationships within the context of person-centredness.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved secondary analysis of interview data originally collected from a commissioned study investigating whole-systems approaches in services for older people. The process of analysis used the Authentic Consciousness Framework.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nurses are often invisible to the patient, unless they are providing care to address a physical need. A sense of rolelessness pervaded the data, when patients were deprived from actively participating in important decisions about their future care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients would like nurses to work with them in more transparent ways. Patients are very conscious that nurses are busy and attempt to share the coping with the busy workload by limiting their expectations of the nurse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Person-centred strategies must enhance the capacity of not only older patients and their ability to assert self, but also the capacity of their nurses. Nurses must work to actively recruit the patient in all decision making.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster, Londonderry, UK. ea.mitchell@ulster.ac.uk
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McCance
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003243:Consciousness; D030881:Disclosure; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D017008:Negotiating; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012041:Regional Medical Programs; D012932:Social Facilitation; D012945:Social Values; D013597:Systems Analysis