Can nurses impact patient outcomes using a patient-centered care model?

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Patient-centered care (PCC) is a key quality aim from the Institute of Medicine.
• PCC integration is recognized by CMS as a vital quality improvement strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of nurses utilizing patient-centered care (PCC) on patient satisfaction.
• To assess PCC's effect on patient perceptions of nursing care.
• To determine PCC's influence on measurable quality outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 116 patients allocated to either PCC intervention or usual care control group.
• Intervention group patients received pre-admission calls and care from PCC-trained nurses.
• Quality outcomes including length of stay, falls, infections, and adverse events were measured.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed between the PCC and control groups in length of stay, infection rates, falls, or adverse events.
• Patient satisfaction levels and perceptions of nursing care did not differ significantly between the groups.
• While primary outcomes showed no difference, the study noted clinically relevant patient and staff responses.

Conclusions:

• Patient-centered care, as implemented, did not demonstrate a significant effect on patient satisfaction or overall quality of care metrics.
• Further investigation into specific patient and staff responses may yield clinically relevant insights into PCC implementation.
• The study suggests that while PCC is a national quality aim, its direct impact on these specific outcomes requires further exploration.