Dignity at the heart of nursing care

MAINTAINING safe staffing levels is crucial to quality patient care and also key in ensuring that patients are treated with dignity. The Royal College of Nursing in Wales has submitted a response to the Older People Commissioner for Wales Review on Dignity and Respect in Hospitals.

The appropriate ratio of nurse to patients needs to be maintained in order to provide health care workers with the capacity to spend time listening to and talking with patients. Spending time with patients can increase dignity in a number of ways.

Tina Donnelly, RCN Wales Director, said: “Many patients’ perceptions of compassion, kindness and dignity is related to health care workers having enough time to communicate with them. When dignity is present people feel in control, valued, confident, comfortable and able to make decisions for themselves. When dignity is absent people feel devalued, lacking control and comfort. The RCN believes that nurses should, therefore, treat all people in all settings and of any health status with dignity, and dignified care should continue after death.”

Christine Thomas, District Nurse and RCN Lead Steward in Swansea, said: “Being treated with respect and dignity is second only to a safe discharge from hospital. There must be sufficient investment in the physical environment in care settings to demonstrate that patients are valued and respected including cleanliness, laundry facilities, adequate bed linen, protected meal times and proper nutrition and hydration and single sex assessment units. Dignity is a fundamental of care.”


Source: Royal College of Nursing