Enhancing Person-Centered Care Through Reflective Practice:A Qualitative Study on the Collaboration Between Nurse Technicians and Health Management Specialists

Abstract

Introduction: Person-centered care (PCC) is a healthcare delivery approach that prioritizes patients' needs, values, and preferences. Reflective practice and interprofessional collaboration are considered key strategies for providing PCC. This qualitative study explored how reflective practice and collaboration between nurse technicians and health management specialists can enhance PCC.
Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 nurse technicians and 15 health management specialists recruited through purposive sampling at three hospitals. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: Three main themes were identified: 1) Reflective practice facilitates patient-centered decision making, 2) Interprofessional collaboration enhances coordination around patient needs, and 3) Organizational support enables the benefits of reflective practice and collaboration for PCC. Subthemes described specific reflective and collaborative practices participants perceived as enhancing PCC.
Discussion: Engaging in reflective practice and fostering collaboration between nurse technicians and health management specialists appear to be promising strategies for providing PCC. Healthcare organizations should offer training and resources to promote these practices. Future research should examine interventions to implement and sustain reflection and collaboration.