Sara T Breckenridge
US Army Regional Health Command, Europe
Title: Overview of the patient caring touch system: A nursing care re-design framework
Biography
Biography: Sara T Breckenridge
Abstract
Based on a commitment by Army Nurse Corps leaders to transform military nursing for the future, the Patient Caring Touch System (PCTS) was created and implemented in 2011. The PCTS is a comprehensive practice framework and a strategic plan for Army Nursing. There are five main elements that ground the PCTS: enhanced communication, capacity building, evidence-based practices, healthy work environments, and patient advocacy. The combination of these five elements is thought to produce the best patient, nurse and system outcomes. The PCTS was developed to foster excellence and reduce clinical quality variance by adopting a set of internally and externally validated best practices. In addition, the PCTS includes components such as talent management, standardized documentation and leadership development to re-focus on professional practice. Other components include shared accountability, peer feedback, care teams, core values, optimized performance metrics, skill building and research and evidence-based practice support services. Before innovations such as the PCTS are adopted and become self-sustaining, it is necessary to have a great deal of support and engagement from the staff and leadership. Although the PCTS has been implemented for several years now, the degree to which it has become embedded into the organizational culture of any Medical Treatment Facility has varied and projections for future sustainment are speculative.