Knowledge for change and improvement: developing partnership through involving and engaging others

Conference item

This paper will explore how we come to know and understand others by presenting research that explores: the meaning of compassionate care for staff caring for patients with type two diabetes; and patient experience of open fracture of the lower limb. Knowing the other is firmly centred within the notions of nurse patient/family relationships. Through listening to others and appropriate questioning, cues about how they feel, what is affecting their health and life are uncovered and provide the basis for care. However what we know and how we know it is influenced by the framework within which care is provided, who we ask and the type of questions we use. This paper will explore these elements and the challenges they present through examining research that explores: the meaning of compassionate care for staff caring for patients with type two diabetes; and patient experience of open fracture of the lower limb. • The notion of compassionate care is central to health care but is difficult to capture and professionals can struggle to articulate what it means. Providing opportunities to explore the concept through research highlights the complexity of relationships in practice; it emphasises the challenges that working in partnership with patients can bring due to the emotional nature of such work, which occurs alongside a professional intent to improve health within demanding clinical environments. • Providing time for patients in acute care to tell us what it is like for them using open questions can uncover a wealth of information about their experience that provides the basis for developing practice. An example is the emotional work patients undertake when living with ‘being a person with wounds’. Knowing the impact it has on their perceptions of their body, their family and friends and how they manage this work provides essential information to enable nurses to facilitate their recovery. These research studies highlight how nursing has focused on developing knowledge that underpins practice and focuses on improving health.

Authors: Tutton, L; Tierney, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Royal College of Nursing
• Host title: RCN International Centenary Conference
• Journal: RCN International Centenary Conference
• Pages: 109
• Publication date: 2016-11-23
• Acceptance date: 2016-07-01
• Keywords: SBTMR