Student Learning about Patient Family Centered Care (PFCC):

Participation in an Amputation Support Group

Jane Sprayberry, RN & Deborah Price, MS, RN CVC5 & SON, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Purpose

Synthesis

Change

Implementation

Strategies

Evaluation

Significance

To promote participation of UM

Senior Nursing Students in the

Community Amputee Network (U-

CAN) support group utilizing the

PFCC Model

• PFCC is an innovative approach to

planning, delivery and evaluation of

health care grounded in mutually

beneficial partnerships among health

care providers, patients and families.

• PFCC concepts are information

sharing, dignity and respect,

participation and collaboration

• PFCC is applicable to all ages and can

be practiced in any health care setting.

• Nursing students can be involved in

outpatient support groups to provide

valuable resources and support to

patients and their families while

learning the concepts of PFCC beyond

the scope of hospitalization

UM Senior Nursing Students facilitated two

amputee support group meetings providing

health care screening, patient and family

education and a sense of community support.

Nursing students prepared patient education information

related to heart health including diet and exercise, shared

recipe's with a cooking demonstration, screened

knowledge and blood pressures, and promoted lively

discussion and involvement by support group members.

• Support group members shared their

perceptions with the nursing students of

helpful nursing behaviors which promote

lifestyle acceptance and adaptation to

having an amputation.

• This exploratory project found mutually

experienced satisfaction and learning

occurred as a result of this experience.

• Students learned that listening to the

patient’s story helped to individualize the

plan for home, and mutual goal setting

results in a better transition.

Further study is warranted to measure the

benefits to nursing students, patients and

their family members of student involvement

in PFCC support groups.

References Liu, F., Williams, R.M., Hsuch-Erh Liu, & Chien, N. (2010). The lived experience of persons with lower

extremity amputation. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19, 2152-2161 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03256x

Kagan, S.H. (2011). Patient and family centered care: Is there individualized care here?. Geriatric Nursing,

32 (5), 365-367.

Marzen-Groller, K., & Bartman, K. (20050.Building a successful support group for post-amputation patients.

Journal of Vascular Nursing, 23 (2). 42-45 doi:10.1016/j.jvn.2005.04.002