Person-centred care: clarifying the concept in the context of inpatient psychiatry

This paper reports an analysis of the concept of person-centred care in the context of inpatient psychiatry. It has been suggested that person-centred care in inpatient psychiatry might differ from person-centred care in other contexts, indicating a need to clarify the concept in this specific context. Scholarly papers from health-related disciplines were identified following a systematic search of the electronic databases CINAHL, PUBMED and PsycINFO, covering records indexed up until March 2014. An evolutionary approach to concept analysis was applied, integrating principles for data extraction and analysis in integrative reviews. The concept of person-centred care was defined as cultural, relational and recovery-oriented. It aspires to improve care and calls for a transformation of inpatient psychiatry. The concept is closely related to the concepts of recovery and interpersonal nursing. The result is described in terms of attributes, antecedents, consequences and related concepts. It is concluded that the further development of the concept needs to consider the contexts of the concept at both conceptual and praxis levels. Further research should explore the nature of and relationships between context, culture, care practice and outcomes in inpatient psychiatry from a perspective of person-centred care. The results of this analysis can provide a framework for such research.