Individualised care and the professional practice environment: nurses' perceptions.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Care Quality

Background:

• Growing emphasis on individualized nursing care in healthcare.
• Preliminary evidence links individualized care to practice environment factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• Describe individualized care and professional practice environment from nurses' perspectives.
• Explore associations between individualized care and the professional practice environment.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory correlational survey design.
• Data collected from 207 nurses and nurse managers in Finnish acute hospitals.
• Analysis using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rho correlations.

Main Results:

• Nurses generally perceive support for patient individuality and provide individualized care.
• Perceptions of individualized care associated with conflict management, motivation, control, leadership, autonomy, physician relations, and cultural sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• Individualized care and professional practice environment are associated.
• Environmental factors may influence nurses' ability to provide individualized care.
• Further research, including patient perspectives, is recommended.