The ILC Maine statement: Time for the fundamental care [r]evolution

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Transformation
• Clinical Practice
• Patient Care

Background:

• Fundamental care is inconsistently delivered globally, negatively impacting patients, families, and healthcare systems.
• Transforming fundamental care requires significant changes in how healthcare systems value, deliver, and evaluate it.
• This transformation necessitates both evolutionary and revolutionary approaches within clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the third position statement from the International Learning Collaborative (ILC), focusing on transforming fundamental care.
• To outline actionable strategies for creating revolutionary transformation in fundamental care delivery within clinical settings.
• To provide a roadmap for healthcare leaders and staff to enhance fundamental care globally.

Main Methods:

• This study is presented as a position paper.
• It is based on discussions from the ILC's annual conference and Leadership Program in Portland, Maine, USA, in June 2023.
• The content synthesizes discussions among 209 participants from 13 countries, primarily those in clinical practice, along with authors' reflections.

Main Results:

• Four action-oriented strategies are proposed to transform the valuation, prioritization, and delivery of fundamental care.
• Strategies include addressing non-nursing tasks, using affirmative language, accessing evidence for impact assessment, and advocating for interprofessional collaboration with nursing leadership.
• These strategies must be systematically adopted by healthcare staff and leaders and embedded within organizations and systems.

Conclusions:

• The ILC Maine Statement is a call to action for ongoing "revolution" in fundamental care.
• Healthcare leaders and staff are urged to prioritize fundamental care within global healthcare systems.
• Fundamental care transformation is essential across all life stages and care contexts, requiring leadership commitment in clinical practice.