Personhood In Health And Social Care

The concept of personhood is regarded as being part of a moral community. Kitwood (1993), suggested that personhood is reliant on integrated service provision as well as social preparation. In the same way, it is dependent on practitioner providing good service. It is vital for nurses and other practitioners to form a partnership; through acknowledging the social, psychological and cultural heritage of the patient. The way a person sees themselves is dependent on factors such as their personal meaning, beliefs and values. Through forming a partnership with the patient, it will be easier to provide services and care that are well suited to the individual (Dewing, 2008).

As it is important to attain person-centred practice, it is also crucial
Towards the end, Mrs. Smith was unable to communicate whatsoever. She would make quiet groans which suggest that she was in pain. (WHO) went further to suggest that the control of pain, of other symptoms, and of psychological, social and spiritual problems is paramount. Therefore, it is important to consider the feelings of the patient in order to ensure that the right care is provided (Rolfe, 2011). As my patient was placed on end of life care, it was necessary to have specific care put in place for her. The priorities for a dying patient are to recognise that a patient may die at any point, for this reason it is important to have effective communication and decisions taken should be for the patient’s best interest. The dying patient and those identified as being important to them should be involved in any decision making concerning the patient (Rolfe,
They suggest that it is often difficult to recognise a dying patient in a hospital setting as the culture is mostly focused on curing the patient instead of actually acknowledging a patient who is dying. Treatments and investigations are usually sought at the expense of the patient receiving a good death. In some cases, there is hesitation in making a diagnoses especially in situations whereby the patient has a chance of improvement. Health care professionals should seek to be truthful as this will consequently build trust between the patient and the health professional. Giving patients false hope may result feelings of disappointment. When recovery is uncertain it is better to discuss this rather than giving false hope to the patient and family. This is generally perceived as a strength in the doctor-patient relationship and helps to build trust. In the case of Mrs. Smith, she was made aware of the potential outcome of her situation before she died. Her family were also made aware; doing this would have