Primary nursing

Primary nursing is a system of nursing care delivery that emphasizes continuity of care and responsibility acceptance by having one registered nurse (RN), often teamed with a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and/or nursing assistant (NA), who together provide complete care for a group of patients throughout their stay in a hospital unit or department.[1] While the patient is on the nurses' unit, the primary nurse accepts responsibility for administering some and coordinating all aspects of the patient's nursing care, with the support of other members of the nursing staff.[2][3] This results in the nurse having greater insight into the patient's condition, both medical and emotional.[4]

This is distinguished from the practice of team nursing, functional nursing, or total patient care, in that primary nursing focuses on the therapeutic relationship between a patient and a named nurse who assumes responsibility for a patient's plan of care for their length of stay in a particular area.[5] The patient is aware of who their nurse is in primary nursing, and can communicate to the entire hospital staff through that nurse.[6] The nurse accepts responsibility for the patient's care.[2]

It originated in 1969 by staff nurses at the University of Minnesota.

  1. ^ "Primary nursing".
  2. ^ a b May, Deanna (February 12, 1995). "Matters of the heart – Primary care nursing instituted at Ball Hospital". The Star Press. Muncie, Indiana. p. 6B.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Berger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Hall, Dan (May 7, 1977). "Primary Nursing Improves Patient Care". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, Ohio. Associated Press. p. B-10.
  5. ^ Wyman, Anne (November 14, 1983). "Health Care: 'One-on-One' nursing – New system strives to make medical care more personal". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. pp. 41, 43.
  6. ^ Barnett, Barbara (March 21, 1981). "Primary Nursing is an old concept gaining new life". The Charlotte News. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 5C.