CARL ROGERS PERSON-CENTRED APPROACH

CARL ROGERS PERSON-CENTRED APPROACHIntroductionCarl Rogers (1902-1987) a psychologist developed the person-centred move up theory mainly in relation to the healer and the lymph node and initi on the wholey named it the client-centred approach. Rogers later referred to this theory as person-centred rather than enduring-centred in order not to reduce the individuals impropriety and consequently lend the client to difficulties. The approach therefore is to turn individuals (clients) into subjects of their own therapy. In his theory it was noted that individuals argon endowed with the power of self actualization and through their own perception of resources entire in them, they arsehole provide remedy for change in their difficult situations, provided a facilitating environment make ups This view as expressed by Rogers implied that every person has a tendency to grow and attain a certain level of actualization. He observed that in order to allow the client (person) asses his/her own erudition and self defeating behaviours and also engage in curative movement with the therapist, there must be a conducive climate. Three conditions were identified for this relationship to fly high favourably Genuineness (Congruence), Empathy and Unconditional Positive Regard.GENUINENESS (Congruence)In this relationship the therapist is anticipate to show a real sense of genuine strength towards the clients feelings and thoughts, be exiting and ever present to assist them in whatever situation they may be. He should be transparent and discourage the attitude of universe the superior in the situation. This attitude would in turn retain a high sense of confidence in the client towards acknowledgment of him/herself in therapy. any deviation from this attitude renders the process unworkable.UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD (Total Acceptance)According to Rogers, the therapist in this situation must show non-judgemental and total acceptance to the clients feelings and his perc eptive world as a whole to conjure up his process of recovery. This total acceptance of the clients attitude and perception shouldbe devoid of whatsoever differences that might exist between them both culturally or amicablely. However in doing so the therapist should ensure the safety and security of the client.EMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDINGIn his theory, demonstrate empathy refers to the ability of the therapist to show positive sensitivity to the clients world, his perception towards recovery and also communicate his feelings to the client. This will convey a special meaning to the client of his relationship with the therapist and consequently solidify their mutual relationship towards the expected therapeutic movement. Rogers continue to state that any deviation from these attitudes on the part of the therapist makes it difficult for the process to continue. This empathetic attitude is much exhibited by therapists who are more confident about their own identity and can cope with opposite persons world without any fear.PERSON-CENTREDNESS AS A CONCEPTPerson-centeredness a opinion in wellness look at de getry has poor and conflicting definitions over the geezerhood and is considered nonpareil of the best steerings of health care delivery in which patients are valued as individuals (Winfield et al. 1996). It has further been observed by(Slater 2006 Leplege et al 2007), that the archetype of person-centredness has been described using different terms like patient-centred, client-centred, person-centred interchangeably which makes it roughly often unclear which consistent term to use in the exposition of the concept. until now all these difficulties, Kitwood (1997) defined person-centredness as a standing or status that is bestowed upon one human being by others in the context of relationship and kindly being. It implies recognition, respect and trust. (p.8) Kitwood (1997) further used person-centredness to formulate ideas and ways of working which put s much emphasis on communication and building relationships in care.Brooker (2004), elaborating on person-centred approach raise out that the definition of the term has such characteristics as Respecting and valuing the individual as a full member of society Providing individualised smudges of care that are in line with rafts changing needs Understanding the perspective of the person and providing a supportive social psychology in order to help people live a spiritedness of relative well-being.Dwelling on these definitions of Kitwood and Brooker, it is evident that they are built on the works of Carl Rogers (1950), which developed person-centred approach as a way of facilitating psychological growth (Natiello 2001).In addition a critical look at Kitwoods definitions definitions showed that personhood has been considered very essential. (Dewing 2008) observed that Person-centredness is often associated with gerontological nursing and more particularly issues relating to monomani a care and have personhood as a basis of promoting its recitation. It is therefore relevant to explore the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of personhood in as much as it recognized in person-centredness (Baker 2001 Ford McCormack 2000 Fares 1997).Baker (2001) declared that personhood is consistent with individuality and has three dimensions the persons world which relates to understanding the persons needs, self relating to emotional and physical security and others which signify social and material world that considers the need for interventions and a sense of belonging and place.Similarly (Ford McCormack 2000) recognises personhood as the persons ability to rational make ratiocination by virtue of his demonstration on available needs, woofs wants and desires. On the contrary this ability to make rational closings might be difficult particularly in persons with dementia (Kitwood 1997), however choices can be offered to the person.Harre (1998, p.6) drawing on the work of Apter (1989),concludes that a sense of personal distinctiveness, a sense of personal continuity and a sense of personal autonomy key phenomenon that best described personhood. Elsewhere in literature, transcendence (a state beyond material or usual existence) has been referred to as an essential characteristic for description of personhood (Heron 1992 Kitwood 1990a, 1997).This goes to establish the assertion that personhood can be accessed from three type of literature- theology and spiritual, ethics and social psychology and each of these literature gives different meanings to attributes relating to personhood (Kitwood 1997, p.8).McCormack (2004) compared the definition of person-centredness by Kitwood and his own findings in an extensively reviewed literature and concludes that four conceptsshould be considered in describing person-centred nursing. These are Being in Relation, Being in Social Context, Being In Place, Being With Self.Being In RelationBeing in relations hip emphasizes the point that, for any effective person-centred care to commence, continue and achieve success ,the contain and the patient should be in a good interpersonal relationship and this relationship requires valuing of self, honorable integrity, reflective ability, knowing self and others as derived from reflection on set and their place in the relationship. Being in relationship is also reflected in one of the seven attributes of person-centredness identified by Slaters (2006) concept analysis-evidence of a therapeutic relationship between person and health care provider. He further states that this relationship between the person and care provider must be one of mutuality, mutual trust and non-judgemental which does not take into consideration the balance of power.Being In Social ContextThis is the interconnectedness of persons with the social world in which individuals get meaning to themselves through being in the world. Being able to understand the social world of the person enables one to clearly identify things that are considered paramount in their lives Slater (2006).Being In PlaceAndrew (2003) declares that concept of place and its impact on health care delivery is poorly understood in nursing. Andrew further argued that places are not just physical but involve situated human intentions at heart them.(Andrew, 2003 Luckhurst Ray, 1997 Hussain Raczka, 1997) contends that attention must be paid to place in care relationships for its authorized role. In order for nurses to be facilitators of person-centredness, care values must be balanced with other organisational values no question howdifficult it might be, to enable the process of the concept to continue smoothly (Woods 2001). A similar idea was expressed by Johns (1995) that nurses cannot freely fulfil their moral obligation to patients without taking cognisance of organisational and master key implications. To buttress this McCormack et al (2002) asserts that whilst it is import ant for nurses to facilitate person-centredness, other contextual issues such as staff relationships, organisational systems, power differentials and the finis to which the organisation tolerates innovative recitals and risk taking should be worth noting.Being with SelfKnowing self is very central in person-centred nursing approach. This is important in that, health care providers need to identify their personal values first in order to respect the values of other patients under their care, to suspend trampling over their autonomy and cultural needs paramount to person-centredness (Downs, 1997 Ford McCormack, 2001 McCormack, 2001b Nolan, 2000).Further, knowing self enables the nurse to make comparisons of on-going lifestyles and behaviours of the patient with his preferences and values of life in general as a clue to enhance care process (Meyers,1999). PERSON-CENTRED PRACTICE BASED ON AUTHENTIC CONSCIOUSNESSBased on the four concepts- Being In place, Being In relationship, Bein g with self, Being In social context, McCormack (2003) outlined five conceptual regulates in consistent with current nursing principles. These are Authentic consciousness (McCormack 2001a, 2001b, 2003 and 2004), Positive person work (Packer 2003), the senses role model(Nolan et al 2001), Skilled companionship (Titchen 2000, 2001 p.80) and The Burford Nursing Development unit model (Johns 1994). McCormack developed a conceptualframework for person-centredness practice based on Authentic consciousness. He identified five imperfect duties on which the framework will operationalize.further, McCormack (2003) declared that for person-centredness to operate effectively in practice, factors such as the patients value, the nurses values and the context of care environment.For the purpose of this study, imperfect duties and factors (Patients values, the nurses values, context of care environment) on which person-centred practice operationalize will be explored to highlight their effect on th e concept.According to Immanuel Kants morale theory cited in (Sullivan, RJ 1990), imperfect duties are described as wide, broad and expressage such that it gives room for discretion but within the rules of the organization within which one works. There is no means of offering an exhaustive and a priori vizor of how the duties are to be fulfilled. The five imperfect duties discussed earlier are as from (the conceptual framework of McCormack 2003) Informed flexibility this is the facilitation of fdecision making based on reading dissemination and the integration of new information into established perspectives and care practices. Mutuality the recognition of the others values as being equally paramount in decision making. Transparency making clear the intentions and motivations for treat and the boundaries within which care decisions are set. Negotiation patient participation through a culture of care that values the views of the patient as a legitimate basis for decision making wh ile recognizing that being the final judge of decisions is of secondary importance. Sympathetic presence this is an encounter takes into consideration the uniqueness and value of the individual by appropriately responding to cues that maximize coping resources through the recognition of important agendas in daily life.PATIENTS VALUESIn person-centred practice respect for patients values are identified as being central in order to achieve an effective process of the concept (Dewing, J. 2002 William,B. Grant. 1998 McCormack 2001).It is important to develop a clear picture of what patients values about their life and how they make sense of what is misadventure somewhat them. Helping the individual to have realization in care makes them to tolerate the incongruency of their illness and also helps them to plan for future, to do this, there is the need to build a baseline value history of the patient through biographical accounts and narrative story.(Meyers, D.T. 1989).The complex nat ure of most health care decisions couple with anxiety, fear of illness, dependency and other aggressive tendencies results in the patients decision making ability being diminished.( Buchanan Brock, 1989) Argued that if patients are left to be in total control of their health care decisions, most often than not their choice of treatment decision might not work effectively towards their well being as expected. They further argued that, as much as patients are expected to participate in decision making regarding their health, they should also be protected sometimes from harmful consequences of their own choices.According to Seedhouse, D. (1986) health has different meanings to different people and is also apt(p) various degrees of relevance by individuals. It therefore implies that there is no single care intervention that can be considered best for everyone. Whiles are a particular approach is applicable in one situation it may not be same in the other. In view of these, health care decisions need to adopt a negotiated approach between the patient and the practitioner (McCormack, 2001).NURSES VALUESIn spite of partnership being a special K phenomenon in person-centred practice where nurses are encouraged to be lenient in their presentation to patients, it is unusual for nurses to present their own views as a part of information that patients are given to help their decisions.Gadow (1980) argued that in as much as patients values should be dominant in the decision, nurses values also contribute to enhance the efficiency of the process but in a less explicit manner. Nurses expressing their values in care decisions should not really be a enigma if there is partnership, since these will help the patient to have more insight into the nurses position regarding their care.CONTEXT OF PRACTICE ENVIRONMENTDespite more attention on nurses and patient values the care environment also play a significant role in the person-centred process in which there is the tendency to either promote or hinder its smooth running (McCormack et al 2002 Rycroft-Malone et al 2002).In facilitating person-centredness nurses are faced with difficulties of having to cope with the morale obligations to patients as well as organisational and professional implications (Johns, 1999).this situation has been confirmed by recent analysis f context undertaken by McCormack et al (2002). Yarling (1990) expressed a similar view to earlier researchers higher up that, in modern health care delivery, while nurses are expected to engage in autonomous decision making they are limited in exercising their authority.THE CONCEPT OF PERSON-CENTREDNESS IN REHABILITATIONClare et al. (2006) define rehabilitation as an individualized approach to helping people with cognitive impairments in which those affected, and their families work unitedly with health care professionals to identify personal-relevant goals and strategies for speak toing these. This definition clearly shows a connection bet ween rehabilitation and the concept of person-centredness. Leplege et al (2007) argued that the notion of person-centredness have been used interchangeably as patient- centred ,client-centred, individual- centred, person-directed. Reasoning along this argument, implies that the term has a multidimensional use. In order to establish further the description of this terminology, Leplege and his colleagues undertook a conceptual analysis of person-centred concept in the field of rehabilitation and identified few supportive concepts that clearly elaborate on the use of the term.THE PERSONS SPECIFIC HOLISTIC PROPERTIES AND DIFFICULTIES IN EVERYDAY flavourPerson-centredness as a means of addressing the persons specific and holistic properties suggests that in dealing with individuals, their biological and psychosocial needs must be considered as paramount as remote to classical analytic medical attention on the functionality of specific organs and related medications prescribed for relie f of ailment. In their view regarding person-centredness in rehabilitation, the term seeks to address difficulties in everyday life of disabled persons in such a manner as to reflect their needs and social adjustment. Rehabilitation alone without person-centredness seems more technical and ignores other aspects of the patients life.PARTICIPATION AND EMPOWERMENTIt is further argued that disabled persons be given more decisional autonomy in order to be aware of what is happening to them, the way they perceive treatment and care offered them and other variations about care available to them. Patients of deterioration should notbe passive about interventions available to them they should be allowed as key participants. It is however stressed that the concerns of disabled persons are not different from able persons and therefore equal attention is supposed to be given to both.RESPECTING THE PERSON BEHIND THE IMPAIRMENTRespecting the person in spite of his/her impairment or the disease r eflects the notion that disabled persons be accorded the dignity and respect they deserve, because disability can be considered as part of normal life and therefore should not be treated with pity and stigmatization. Leplege et al therefore declared person-centredness as anti-reductionism which seeks to hold in high esteem views and rights of disabled persons in decision making regarding their health care.PERCEPTION OF PERSON-CENTRED NURSING ACROSS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL secernateThe concept of person-centred care has long been associated with the nursing profession, and understood in principle as establishing mutual trust and understanding with individuals, respecting their values and rights as a person, and underdeveloped therapeutic relationships with them and others associated with their care.The good aspect of delivering care in the philosophical context of person-centredness cannot be over emphasised, but it has been observed that translating the main concept into daily practice is always met with challenges (McCormack McCance 2006).The reasons for these inefficiencies manifest in different forms and are seldom indicative ofthe context in which care is delivered, coupled with constant changes that occur particularly within health and other social care sectors.Person-centredness has been in existence with health care delivery for some time now and is consistent with policy counsellor and reflected in many approaches to delivery of care. The concept manifests itself in policy directions across both national and international health care sectors.In the United state the concept of person-centredness is embedded in most health care policies such as The Dignity in Care Campaign (DoH, 2006) and The National Service Framework for older people (DoH 2001). Further, recent publications by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) emphasised challenges for nurses and midwives in provision of dignified and sensitive care, in its report on health care.In Northern Ir eland, the focus is on promoting person-centred standards- (respect, attitude, privacy and dignity, communication, behaviour) across health and social care sectors. It has been observed that within the health service, the drive to promote intensity and efficiency in performance management has not been high. As a result, patients, clients and their families receive less attention in care delivery as indicated in a range of quality and clinical indicators (DHSSPS 2007a Nolan, 2007).Whilst the term person-centred care is rampant in the UK health and social care literature and policy documents, the underlying principles of person-centred care are similar to that of international movements that is focused on humanizing the health and social care experience. This is evident in the Skaevinge Project carried out in Denmark (Wagner L. 1994). In his action research, focus was on preventative work and also to ensure the rights of residents in care homes as citizens in society. This model agai n helps in putting to anatomy the future of residential care and the design of care homes internationally. Wagner infused into his work such principles underpinning person-centred care as autonomy, citizenship, dignity and respect, to enhance efficiency of hismodel. Health care policies around the world adopt these principles and use them in several policy frameworks related to social and health care sectors.In Australia for instance, person-centred care has been a solid origin of facility accreditation in The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency and the New South Wales department of nursing has its focus on enhancing practices and models of care to support person-centredness across all specialities.Developing models that enhance care and promote person-centred principles has become a vital issue in health and social care. A notable instance is the constitute for Health care Improvement (IHI) in the United States of America. Most governments in the West have initiated tra nsformations and innovated frameworks in health and social services through most of the practices of the IHI. Majority of the plans initiated by these governments focused on person-centred care mainly through transformation systems and redesign of clinical services.