Patient-Centered Care: A Cornerstone of Public Health Nursing

The care that the public health nurse provides to her clients is patient-centered. During one of the home visits, the nurse talked and questioned her client about what her needs were and if there was anything she could do for her. The client mentioned that she needed more supplies such as diaper and baby clothes. The nurse agreed to bring these items the next time she visits. When the nurse had to perform an assessment on the client’s son by using the ASQ-3, which is a screening tool that screens for developmental delays, the client mentioned that she was not feeling well and did want to answer questions. The nurse respected her client’s request and did not carry on with the assessment. Patient-centered care was evidenced in the nurse’s practice as she was assessing and responding to her client needs. The client also had control on how the care was delivered to her. By letting the client have a voice in her care, the nurse was establishing a caring relationship with the client, which is one of the cornerstones of public health nursing (Garcia, Schaffer, & Schoon, 2014, p. 9). In addition, by providing support and care as well as addressing the client’s needs, the nurse was working at the individual level of practice. To successfully meet this competency, a nurse must able to assess the needs, preference, and values

The nurse must be committed to integrating these safety practices in her care for the clients. Critical thinking skills are also essential. The use of critical thinking enables the nurse to identify any current or potential problems that might jeopardize the patient safety. In addition, the nurse must also have the resources and supplies available to deliver safe care. For example, the nurse used the family assessment questionnaire provided to her to do an assessment on the safety of the home environment. She also needed supplies like hand sanitizer and disinfectant