Trends in Patient-Centered Care in South West Nigeria: A Holistic Assessment of the Nurses Perception of Primary Healthcare Practice

BACKGROUND: A key dimension of a quality healthcare to patients is patient-centered care approach which is increasingly gaining recognition worldwide. However, this concept is not fully implemented in practice.

AIM: The aim of this study is to provide outcomes from assessment of nurses’ perceptions about patient-centered care and the current trends in Primary Health Care system in South West Nigeria.

METHODS: This study employed a qualitative participatory action research study approach and conducted a semi-structured individual interview with thirty-five nurses and four focus group discussions in Osun State South West Nigeria Primary Health Care centres.

RESULTS: Primary Health Care (PHC) nurses perceived and described patient-centered care (PCC) as a global approach to improve and enhance nursing care to foster patient participation. The narratives were categorised into two: positive and negative perception. Ten main themes emerged: (I) Attitude of the nurses (ii) Lack of enforcement and implementation, (iii) Experience of the nurses, (iv) Quality-Caring, (v) Effective communication with patient, (vi) Motivated and Proactive healthcare, (vii) Sharpen the form of care, (viii) Outcome and after-effect driven healthcare, (ix) Approved support, and (x) Guarantor of service and motivation.

CONCLUSION: Our participatory action research study on the assessment of nurses’ perception on the utilization of PCC at the PHC for effective and quality healthcare service revealed the importance of nurses’ role, acceptability of PCC and current nursing care practice at the Primary Health Care (PHC) rural community setting. Nurses as healthcare providers expressed PCC as a common and global approach that would enhance patient experiences and improves the quality of nursing healthcare delivery through integration of PCC and healthcare service at the PHC healthcare system.