Essentials of Care - Background

Overview

The Essentials of Care Program is a framework to support the development and ongoing evaluation of nursing and midwifery practice and patient care. It is underpinned by the principles of transformational practice development. This approach to practice requires that all stakeholders – patients, carers, staff and families - have opportunities to participate and are included in decisions about effective care using approaches that respect individual and collective values.

Nurses and midwives have been enthused by this opportunity to refocus on the basic values of caring and the reason why many of us came into the profession.

Implementation across NSW Health commenced in February 2008 and all Area Health Services are now at various stages of implementation. The implementation of EOC is enabling nurses and midwives to focus on the development of clinical environments that enhance patient care, teamwork and individual work satisfaction.

Aims

Essentials of Care (EOC) is a framework for the evaluation of the essential care provided at the clinical ward and unit level. Using transformational practice development methodologies clinical staff are engaged in the evaluation and development of the clinical care provided.

The aims of the project are to improve patient safety and outcomes through the implementation of a NSW state-wide framework that focuses on the essentials of nursing and midwifery care, and to enhance the experiences of patients, families and carers as well as staff involved in the delivery of care.

This work is done through:

Engaging clinicians in transformational practice development
Evaluating the quality of essential care delivery
Identifying opportunities for the development of practice
Activating locally developed plans to improve practice
Developing a culture of critical inquiry
Celebrating excellence in practice

What is Essential Care?

Essential care is a term used in this context to help health care professionals identify and articulate the aspects of care that are fundamental to patients' health and wellbeing.

Effective essential care can only be achieved when patients and their carers are included in discussions and decisions, so the health care team understands their individual needs and works together in a person-cantered way to achieve them. For the purposes of helping us to understand how, when and where aspects of care occur in day-to-day practice, they have been categorised into nine care domains.

Care outcomes and benchmarks have been established for each domain as a basis for measurement.

How will patients benefit?

The program will enhance person centred care and result in better patient outcomes through the establishment of more effective clinical environments.

It aims to:

Focus on patients' needs and their experiences of care provided
Value the contributions from all involved in care
Encourage patient participation in decisions about their care
Support the ongoing review and development of practice
Use relevant research and evidence that is generated from practice and care settings