Preparing tomorrow's nurses to deliver person-centred care

CELEBRATED on May 12 each year, International Nurses Day highlights the vital role nurses play in delivering quality healthcare worldwide. How-ever, behind their dedication and compassion lies a set of challenges that often go unnoticed especially for student nurses in training. Despite the global shift toward person-centred care (PCC) an approach that prioritises the needs, preferences, and values of patients - nursing students face significant obstacles in implementing these principles in real-world healthcare environments.

- AMELIA GROOTBOOM-NZESSEU

My recent Master's study explored the everyday experiences of final-year nursing students delivering PCC and found that, although they understand its importance, they are frequently constrained by systemic, institutional, and communication barriers. These include inadequate role modelling from supervising nurses, language barriers (particularly when Afrikaans is used in documentation or healthcare communication), and hierarchical power dynamics that silence students' voices.

Leadership

Students thrive when supervising nurses actively model or demonstrate PCC in their daily practice and support them in practising it. In environments where unit managers, senior nurses, and educators lead by example, students report feeling more confident, motivated, and valued. One student shared that having a clinical facilitator who showed genuine empathy towards patients and took time to explain procedures made them feel empowered to do the same.

In contrast, where leadership was absent or task-focused, students struggled to translate PCC principles into practice. They described feeling unsupported and sometimes even discouraged from engaging meaningfully with patients. This highlights the critical role of leadership in shaping a learning environment where person-centred values can flourish.

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