Assessment of individualized nursing care in hospitalized patients in a university hospital in Turkey.

AIM

This study was planned to evaluate the perceptions of individualised nursing care of hospitalised patients in an orthopaedics and traumatology clinic.

BACKGROUND

Nurses who have adopted the individualised care approach are aware that their patients are unique individuals in their own right and plan their programme of care together with the patient, taking into consideration the patient's own experiences, behaviour, thoughts and perceptions.

METHOD

The sample in this cross-sectional study consisted of 151 patients. Patients' awareness and perception about individualised nursing care was evaluated using an Individualised Care Scale.

RESULT

The mean score of the study population in the Individualised Care Scale-A section was 3.41 ± 1.23; the mean score in the Individualised Care Scale-B section was 3.72 ± 1.15. No significant association was found between Individualised Care Scale and the subscales in terms of the patients' gender, age, education, employment, the presence of a history of hospitalisation, the existence of a chronic illness and self-sufficiency.

CONCLUSION

Patients had lower levels of awareness and perception about nursing actions designed to support patients' individuality in their personal life situations.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

In order for nursing care to be wholly individualised, nurses should not overlook patients' individuality in their personal life situations.