Humanising Framework Essay

Discuss how the care in the ‘David’ story can be humanised using the Humanising Framework. You should choose three dimensions from the Humanising Values Framework to support your discussion.

INTRODUCTION
This essay will look at the humanising approach to care along with a holistic connection that meets with the social needs of a patient. It will discuss briefly the eight elements of the humanising framework. The focus will be on three of the elements to provide an understanding of each, with examples to show how care can be humanised, what the humanising approach is for and what it will do for patients and nurses, whilst showing the profession and sector in a positive light that will define how all care is delivered.

MAIN
‘The unique function

of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to a peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge. And to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible,’ Henderson, V. (1960). These were the basic principles of nursing 50 years ago and although the same values exist today, changes in nursing direction have occurred over the years to include a more holistic approach.

The aim of this is to centre care around the person as a ‘whole’ when delivering care to patients and looking at the best ways to provide and meet their needs through their choices. Although the majority of nurse’s express core values such as compassion, care, and commitment, Kitson et al (2013), it has been reported that this is not always the case and is highlighted in the media through various incidents, such as the Francis enquiry into the uncaring culture and neglect that patients suffered whilst in the care of Stafford Hospital, Francis, (2013). Galvin and Todres (2013), set out a

theoretical framework to allow person-centred care to be met within the healthcare by nurses and other health professions. The framework encompasses eight elements focusing on human values which are considered to affect interactions with patients and their families/carers in how humanising and dehumanising those interactions can be. As a rule of thumb, each element shows the positivity that it can provide and what it means in value to be human when used in conjunction with other dimensions such as holism and person-centred care. A holistic approach incorporates the patient’s personality and behaviour, including their social aspects along with the body, mind and self. Holism is not a 21st century concept and can be seen throughout history. ‘People say the effect is only on the mind. It is no such thing…’ Nightingale, F. (2007). The 6 c’s provides values to create a culture that places the onus on the patient, their families and carers strengthening the care they receive and ensuring that care becomes centred around the patient providing guidelines for nurses to meet this requirement. Within the humanising framework, the elements describe humanising and dehumanising across a spectrum and consists in the following forms; Insiderness-Objectification, Agency-Passivity, Uniqueness – Homogenization, Togetherness – Isolation, Sense-making – Loss of meaning, Personal Journey – Loss of personal journey, Sense of place – Dislocation, Embodiment – Reductionist body. Each element gives various possibilities that can relate to the care provided to patients, families and carers. How we include and choose these elements in our daily tasks can make the difference to everyone involved.
By taking 3 of the elements and looking at them in more detail will allow a deeper understanding on how dehumanising actions can be avoided. In David’s Story, dehumanising took place on several accounts. One element that comes to the forefront is dislocation. Placed in a room with no interaction from the nurses and basically left unattended, assuming the family as carers would take over their role in providing care, shows how dislocated from the rest of the ward and staff they were. Schutz (1944) describes ‘the stranger’ who has a sense of dislocation when first experiencing a new place. Entering a hospital environment is a scary scenario for anyone, let alone someone who is unwell and may not understand the reason they are there or family/carers who are fraught with worry for their loved one. By engaging with them, using a bay room instead of a side room.

CONCLUSION
Future aims towards improving care using the 6 C’s along with the 10 Commitments to achieve better outcomes, experiences and making sure resources are used responsibly and wisely to include the humanising framework along with a holistic approach, will continue to change and adapt as the world is constantly evolving.

Although this may seem a difficult feat to carry out and remember each point and value, many of these values are already instilled within the majority of nurses. When nurses put themselves in the patient’s shoes, the task of providing humanising care suddenly becomes easier. To withstand a pressurized and unsympathetic environment day in and day out, demands the possession of a particular kind of character, and not least quite a lot of courage, Aristotle’s premier virtue, rightly given prominence in ‘Compassion in Practice,’ Pattison, S and Samuriwo, R. (2015). Everyone wishes to be treated with compassion, have access to knowledge that relates to self and be included in the journey that they take. This is the same for many patients who entrust themselves into the professional care of nurses. By sharing and educating all, the possibilities are endless and the basic fundamental values easily

reached.