This is a time-tested, practical guide for nurses and other healthcare professionals who wish to transform their healthcare systems based on caring values and the promotion of intra- and inter-professional dialogue among stakeholders. It describes a theoretically grounded model created by nurses for transforming the culture of healthcare systems at all levels, and features tested strategies that facilitate accessibility, efficiency, effectiveness, and enhanced outcomes. At its most basic level, this model, the Dance of Caring Persons, expresses the fundamental beliefs and attitudes that each person in the healthcare system lives caring meaningfully in unique and valuable ways, and the contributions of each person to the whole of the enterprise have a significant place within it. The book features successful examples of how various units of the healthcare system can apply specific strategies to their inter- and intra-professional work, and how to engage and sustain authentic dialogue among and between stakeholders. Chapters feature information from a great variety of health professionals that represent a broad range of participants in healthcare. Detailed information is presented in a variety of formats ranging from formal written responses to chapter contents to transcriptions of small group conversations relating to the topic at hand. The book reflects the interests of such major stakeholders as patients and families, nurses, physicians and other primary and adjunctive care providers, ancillary service providers, administrators and managers, and all other individuals involved in the many aspects of organisational models and delivery of health care and human resource functions and outcomes. Each chapter includes questions to consider and suggested resources to help with implementation of strategies. The text incorporates professional standards and essentials from the Joint Commission, ANCC, and AACN (DNP).
