Essentials of Care 

 

The Essentials of Care Program

The Essentials of Care Program (EOC) lets our nurses and midwifes get back to what they do best, caring.
 
We want our nurses and midwives to enjoy clinical environments with improved patient care, teamwork and work satisfaction.
 
The EOC program is a framework for the development and evaluation of nursing and midwifery practice and patient care, allowing nurses and midwives a chance to refocus on the basic values of caring.
 
A better experience for patients, families, carers and staff is what drives the EOC program.
 
The program works together with healthcare teams to identify improvements which impact on patient quality and safety.
 
Further information can be found in the  Essentials of Care Program Overview
 
 From falls to a garden was EOC put in action and presented at our most recent Nursing and Midwifery Showcase 2019
  

Patients benefits

The improvement in patient care and clinical environments results in better patient outcomes.
 
The EOC Program:
 
  • Focus on patients’ needs and their experiences of care provided
  • Value the contributions from all involved in care
  • Encourage patient participation in decisions about their care
  • Support the ongoing review and development of practice
  • Use relevant research and evidence that is generated from practice and care settings
Additional information can be found in the Patient Brochure
 

Essential care

When we talk about essential care, we mean the parts of care that are important for patients’ and staff health and wellbeing.
 
Effective essential care is achieved when patients and their carers are included in discussions and decisions. This allows health care teams to understand individual needs and work together to achieve them.
 

Essentials of Care cycle

 
Preparation: engaging teams, Re-evaluation: gathering information about care and culture at the end of each cycle, implementation: implementing and evaluating actions, Action Planning: Prioritising and actioning themes, Feedback: critically reflecting and identifying themes, Assessment: gathering information about care and culture 

Essentials of Care facilitators

Facilitation is an important part of successful EOC outcomes.
 
"As a facilitator, I have been fortunate to see firsthand the growth and development of clinical nursing staff, especially as they discover that this process enables them to have some control over their everyday lives and the care that they provide to their patients."  EOC Facilitator
 
Facilitators help staff to evaluate their own practice and look at ways of improving or celebrating that practice. This allows staff to:
 
  • have ownership of the improvements
  • develop better ways of working together
  • develop better ways of working with patients  
Wards/units have an external and internal facilitator. Staff who are interested in the EOC program and want to improve their facilitation and practice development knowledge and skills can become ward
 

Additional information can be found in the document A Resource for Facilitators 

Contact us 

Please contact the EOC Program Manager Michael Peregrina Michael.Peregrina@health.nsw.gov.au or the EOC Project Officer Tom Overton Thomas.Overton@health.nsw.gov.au for details of EOC Coordinators in your local area.
 
Current as at: Wednesday 25 March 2020
Contact page owner: Nursing and Midwifery