The Care Process

An accessible introductory textbook that covers the four stages of the care process.

The Care Process is an accessible textbook for nursing, health and social care students that covers the fundamental principles and practice of the care process.

Using clear explanations, scenarios, activities, and an overarching case study that runs through every chapter, the book will help you to understand the four stages of the care process – Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Review and Evaluation.

You will learn:

• How communication underpins all stages of the care process and how to develop your own communication skills.
• How to use decision-making models and tools in the care process.
• How, why and when to use different tools and approaches in assessing service users’ needs.
• How to apply the principles of care planning to your practice.
• How to ensure that the care you provide is person-centred and holistic.
• How to evaluate care interventions and how review and evaluation can assure the quality of care.

An Appendix provides a detailed mapping of the new NMC standards of proficiency for registered nurses against each chapter.

This concise and practical book will help you to understand the care process and to incorporate the skills and techniques you have learnt into your own care practice.

Essentials is a series of accessible, introductory textbooks for students in nursing, health and social care. New and forthcoming titles in the series:

• The Care Process
• Communication Skills
• Leadership
• Learning Disabilities
• Mental Health
• Promoting Health and Wellbeing
• Study Skills

Mel Newton is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Social Care at Teesside University. She has worked for many years within the Nursing Department teaching across pre-registration and post-registration courses, but recently moved to teach leadership and human factors/patient safety. She is course leader for MSc Human Factors and Patient Safety, which is an online course.

Mel is undertaking a Doctorate in Professional Practice and intends to contribute to research by using ethnography to understand the healthcare culture and management of patient falls. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Dr Anne Llewellyn started working life as a Registered Nurse, and worked in Higher Education for over 25 years, primarily in academic roles. She took on various leadership roles in higher education and was awarded Principal Fellow of the HEA in 2015 and University Teaching Fellowship in 2016. Anne was most recently Deputy Director (Learning Development), Student Library Services at Teesside University, a role in which she had responsibility for learning skills development, disability and mental health services, customer services and learning space. She retired from healthcare education in 2020.

Dr Sally Hayes is Director of Students at the Open University. Her academic career began at Leeds Metropolitan University where she gained experience of working with students at different academic levels within nursing and other health related professions across pre- and post-registration education. She is particularly interested in facilitating the development of all learners, be they students of different disciplines, clinical practitioners or educationalists who base their practice on a journey of lifelong learning through critical reflection. She completed her Doctorate in 2013 which examined educational standards in nursing and is currently preparing a portfolio submission for the Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.