The Implementation of a Model of Person-Centred Practice In Older ...

The implementation of a model of person-centred practice in older person settings
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND PROCESSES
Eighteen residential units for older people are involved in the Older Persons Services
National Practice Development Programme for the Development of Person-Centred
Care. The programme commenced in September 2007. An awareness campaign
was initially held in each participating site with an open invitation to attend extended
to all staff, older people and their families. Although there was some similarities in
what events took place, there were also local differences according to context and
the creativity of staff for how they went about creating and building awareness about
the programme. Following on from these sessions, practice development
programme groups were established. The groups represent staff from different areas
within the units and different grades i.e. Clinical Nurse Mangers, Staff Nurses, Health
Care Assistants, Housekeeping, Catering and Administration staff.
The participants from the sites meet with the internal facilitator from within their unit
and the external facilitator from the NMPDU for a formal programme and skills
development day every 6 weeks approximately. As the first year progressed a range
of interim meetings and discussions groups were established within the workplace in
between these days. It should be noted that the interim meetings and groups
although initially taking place, gradually become less successful due to staff release
issues and other issues related to the ongoing national HSE embargo. In year two
these sessions evolved into project working and action plan implementation groups.
Overall, the programme days were well attended and the rate of engagement with
workplace activities designed to enable learning and model changes in practice has
been high. This is discussed in more detail by the NMPDU facilitators in Chapter 2 in
the individual region reports.
Programme Activities
The programme had a number of visible activities that took place on a regular basis.
These were:
• Day long workshops or programme days at each site (approximately 12 over two
years)
• 2 hour interim sessions
• Other related sessions for learning in year 1
• Project working groups or action implementation groups
• Managers Stakeholder Group
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