Engage nurses and place patients at the center of our care.
If we define nursing as the science and art of promoting positive human responses to health and illness, at the core of our profession sits the ability to develop a relationship with those for whom we care. Building on that relationship, nurses integrate the physical and psychosocial aspects of care via a series of relational activities influenced by the patient’s level of dependence–independence in performing self-care. However, care delivery occurs within a larger context at both the system and the policy level. System design and healthcare policy can either support or impede care delivery.
The Fundamentals of Care Framework (ilccare.org/the-fundamentals-of-care-framework), created and promoted by the International Learning Collaborative (ILC), provides a pragmatic conceptualization of nursing and creates a structure to organize our work within practice, educational, and policy settings. The framework also provides abundant opportunities to support the advancement of our knowledge base and outcomes in the arenas of evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and research.
As nurses, we’re responsible for collaborating in the provision of healthcare. We’re also responsible for owning the elements of care that fit squarely in our wheelhouse, such as the basics of hygiene, mobility, nutrition, psychosocial interactions, patient education, and support of spiritual and emotional needs. These all fall within the framework, and individual care team members can identify their unique role in providing patient- and family-centered care. When searching for solutions to complex patient and societal situations, the Fundamentals of Care Framework guides our evaluation of factors contributing to improving or declining outcomes.
As nurses, we have a professional, ethical, and moral responsibility to provide the best care possible. The Fundamentals of Care Framework offers an opportunity to fulfill that obligation by focusing on the assessment of our work and outcomes within the components of the framework.
Whether you choose to engage by reading about the Fundamentals of Care, attending an event, or engaging as a member, we invite you to join us on our journey to improve fundamental care within the communities we serve. To learn more about ILC and the framework, visit ilccare.org.
Susan Mace Weeks is vice provost and professor at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, and executive director of the university’s Health Innovation Institute. Devin Carr is the regional chief nursing officer at MaineHealth – Maine Medical Center in Portland.
American Nurse Journal. 2024; 19(8). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ082442
