The Person-centred Nursing Framework: a mid-range theory for nursing practice
Tanya McCance, Brendan McCormack
Abstract
Background: Person-centredness is a global movement in healthcare that prioritises the human experience. Person-centred care has a long association with nursing; however, the implementation of person-centredness as a philosophy of practice remains challenging and requires a sustained focus on the development of healthful workplace cultures. Aim: This is a discussion paper that focuses on the theoretical development of person-centred nursing, drawing out the uniqueness of the Person-centred Nursing Framework (PCNF) to the discipline of nursing and its relevance as a middle-range theory for nursing practice. Discussion: The PCNF highlights the complexity of person-centred nursing, and through the articulation of the key constructs, emphasises the contextual, attitudinal and moral dimensions of humanistic caring practices. The development of the framework as a means of operationalising person-centredness in practice has been integral to the establishment of a research programme spanning over two decades. The programme has privileged research that focuses on the implementation of person-centred nursing in a variety of healthcare contexts, illustrating outcomes that focus on enhanced care experience for both patients and nurses. Conclusions: The theoretical development of nursing through the lens of the PCNF highlights the uniqueness of person-centredness to the discipline of nursing.