Search

This paper presents findings from a qualitative study undertaken with 46 African and African Caribbean men exploring their experiences of fatherhood. Data analysis was informed by Connell's theoretical work on changing gender relations. Findings indicate that fathers' lives were mediated by masculinities, racism, gender, migration and generational changes in parenting. Fathers advocated a style of parenting centred on good communication with children. The implications of findings for theory, future research and health and social care policy regarding both children's well-being and the inclusion of fathers by health and social care practitioners are discussed.

Objective: To explore whether goal-setting for rehabilitation with acute stroke survivors is patient-centred and identify factors which influence the adoption of patient-centredness in goal-setting practice. Setting: Acute stroke unit in a large teaching hospital in England. Participants: Patients with stroke who had no cognitive or significant communication problems and health care professionals who had a significant engagement with an individual patient were approached for participation. Method: Multiple qualitative methods were used. Perceptions and beliefs about patient-centredness, within the context of goal-setting, were collected from patients and corresponding professionals using qualitative semi-structured interviews. Adoption of patient-centred behaviour was triangulated using analysis of patient records and observation of team meetings related to participating patients. Data analysis: Interview transcripts and field notes were coded, clustered under categories and descriptively summarised. Additionally, data from patients’ documents were summarised. These summaries were then mapped on to an a-priori frame work of patient-centredness from which further interpretative themes were derived. Results: Seven patients and seven health-care professionals participated. Goal-setting was not consistently patient-centred as evidenced by a) incongruities between patients and professionals in setting, communicating and prioritising of goals and b) dysfunctional therapeutic relationships. The factors that influenced patient-centred goal-setting were both professional and patient beliefs and attributes, work-culture, practice model, limitations in knowledge and systems that disempowered both professionals and patients. Conclusion: It may be possible to infer that current local practice of goal-setting was inadequately patient-centred. Further research is required to identify strategies to overcome these challenges and to develop patient-centred goal-setting methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper examines how professionalism is fostered to promote 'patient-centred care' in UK healthcare education and identifies challenges reported by educators. It reports a pilot study which introduced 'service-learning' into the dental and physiotherapy curricula as a strategy for promoting pertinent professional values and skills. Content: Undergraduate dental, and pre-registration postgraduate physiotherapy, students experienced service-learning via attendance at non-professional community placements, such as organising social events with homeless people, as part of their programme of study. Pre-placement preparation and post-placement debrief were offered. Evaluation data were obtained through focus groups, questionnaires, and interviews from students, placement providers and academic staff. Although the intervention was generally well received, important limitations emerged revealing new insights into difficulties with this type of learning for students, placement providers and institutions. Conclusion: Service-learning shows potential for enhancing capability to deliver patient-centre care. Lessons learnt from this project may usefully inform curriculum development in healthcare education and open up further avenues for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Francis report on the Mid Staffordshire National Health Service (NHS) Trust's breakdown of standard healthcare practices, the unsafe and inhumane treatment of patients and the disbelief and shock that followed the public inquiry. It suggests training of healthcare professions and an aptitude test for nursing aspirants. The article also discusses the decreased empathy of nurses and doctors with the increase in clinical exposure and hostile working environments.