The Person-centred Podcast - stories from nurses and midwives
Aug 26, 2026 · 33 min · 10 segments
This month our guest Kirsten speaks to us about how person-centredness runs throughout the care she provides. Kirsten touches on empathy, respect, and taking the time to be there during someone's…
Sheila McGovernHost
Caroline DixonHostMm-hmm
Mm-hmm
... from policy to, uh, practice guidance in academia, everywhere, person-centeredness.
Uh, to me, uh, it means seeing the individual before the diagnosis.
Every person you visit has their own story, uh, their own values and experiences and goals.
And I suppose my role as a district nurse is to understand what matters most to them than simply focusing on their medical needs.
Being person-centered means treating people with dignity, compassion, and respect.
It's about listening carefully, involving them in decisions about their care, and, uh, supporting them to make informed choices wherever possible.
I believe that even small actions such as taking the time to listen and explaining what you're actually doing or what you're visiting for clearly, or respecting a person's routine and preferences, can make a significant difference, um, to how they experience the care that we give.
Also, I suppose working in people's homes gives, gives me the privilege of seeing them in their own environment, where they often feel more comfortable.
This allows me to build up trusting relationships, understand wider factors affecting their health and wellbeing, and also working collaboratively with families and carers and other professionals to provide holistic care.
But I do think in my role to understand that some people are living with long-term conditions, in frailty, or approaching end of life.
During these times, being person-centered means offering empathy and reassurance and honest communication, and supporting people to achieve the best possible quality of life according to their own wishes.
And I suppose I'm just thinking back to what you said about that, being that detective.
You'll be guided providing person-centered care per- or you're person-centered practice.
Mm-hmm.
You're constantly observing the environment and observing what's going on around you, and that will lead into, um-
Yeah
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm
Mm-hmm
... from policy to, uh, practice guidance in academia, everywhere, person-centeredness.
Uh, to me, uh, it means seeing the individual before the diagnosis.
Every person you visit has their own story, uh, their own values and experiences and goals.
And I suppose my role as a district nurse is to understand what matters most to them than simply focusing on their medical needs.
Being person-centered means treating people with dignity, compassion, and respect.
It's about listening carefully, involving them in decisions about their care, and, uh, supporting them to make informed choices wherever possible.
I believe that even small actions such as taking the time to listen and explaining what you're actually doing or what you're visiting for clearly, or respecting a person's routine and preferences, can make a significant difference, um, to how they experience the care that we give.
Also, I suppose working in people's homes gives, gives me the privilege of seeing them in their own environment, where they often feel more comfortable.
This allows me to build up trusting relationships, understand wider factors affecting their health and wellbeing, and also working collaboratively with families and carers and other professionals to provide holistic care.
But I do think in my role to understand that some people are living with long-term conditions, in frailty, or approaching end of life.
During these times, being person-centered means offering empathy and reassurance and honest communication, and supporting people to achieve the best possible quality of life according to their own wishes.
And I suppose I'm just thinking back to what you said about that, being that detective.
You'll be guided providing person-centered care per- or you're person-centered practice.
Mm-hmm.
You're constantly observing the environment and observing what's going on around you, and that will lead into, um-
Yeah
Mm-hmm.
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