Publisher's Synopsis
Much discussion takes place concerning the nature of the relationship between nurses and older people in hospital. Indeed there have been many concerns expressed in recent United Kingdom policy documents about the quality of care for older people in hospitals. A lot of this concern relates to the erosion of older peoples? dignity and autonomy and the impact of this on the quality of care received by them. Autonomy is considered to be one of the central ethical principles of health care practice and as such it is a significantly relevant concept for nurses. However, while much has been written about the importance of autonomy from a moral philosophy and ethical stance, little work has been undertaken to explore the meaning of this concept in an individual nurse-patient relationship. This book fills that gap by presenting the results of an illuminative research study undertaken with nurses who work with older people in hospitals. Issues arising from the study include the effects of institutional discourse, the dynamics of power and control and the institutional constraints on autonomy. A framework for person-centred practice has been developed from this work that emphasizes the values of the individual and their needs, wants and desires. The role of the nurse in facilitating practice that respects an individual?s values is outlined, and the importance of nurses negotiating relationships with older people is emphasized. Given the changing nature of gerontological nursing and government policy in respect of older people, this book will be invaluable reading for those concerned with the forthcoming National Service Framework in the UK, the development of Nurse Consultant roles and the weakening of role boundaries between health and social care.
