Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hard-to-heal wounds pose a significant challenge to healthcare systems globally. While person-centred care (PCC) has been proposed as a means to improve wound management, there is a scarcity of research examining its practical application in healthcare. An increased understanding of healthcare professionals' perceptions of PCC in wound management and the challenges associated with its application is thus warranted. Such an understanding can facilitate the implementation of PCC and, consequently, enhance the quality of care. AIM: To explore healthcare professionals' perceptions of PCC in wound management in primary care services. METHOD: The study had an explorative abductive design involving semi-structured interviews with 23 healthcare professionals in primary care working with wound management. An abductive qualitative content analysis was conducted using the PCC framework, incorporating three routines related to, respectively, initiation, working, and safeguarding the partnership. RESULTS: The findings illustrated healthcare professionals' perceptions regarding initiating, practising, and safeguarding PCC in wound management. Initiating such care entailed having a holistic perspective, considering both the patient and the underlying causes of the wound, using the patient's goals and preferences to establish wound management, and motivating them to commit to the care. Practising PCC in wound management involved establishing a relationship of trust with the patient, tailoring wound management to her/his needs and circumstances, and minimising symptoms that had a negative impact on everyday life. Safeguarding PCC in wound management involved documenting continuously, keeping updated on patient medical records, and facilitating the exchange of information between healthcare professionals. CONCLUSION: Healthcare professionals acknowledge the significance of PCC in wound management. The findings also highlight challenges, particularly in practising shared decision-making, ensuring closeness and continuity of wound management, and documenting person-centred care. These findings offer insights into key factors that support the implementation of PCC.