Conceptualization of person-centered care in Korean nursing literature: A scoping review

Purpose: Person-Centered Care (PCC) is a key indicator of health care quality. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify the characteristics of nursing literatures on PCC and examine the theoretical and operational definition of PCC. Methods: The scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute's scoping review guidance. The search terms were "patient-centered", "person-centered", "participant-centered", and "nursing"; and only publications on PCC were selected. Literatures published in Korean since 2001 were searched using electronic databases, and the last search date was June 2020. Results: Nineteen publications were included. Approximately 80% of the researches were published since 2018, and the most common methodology was survey (53%). Most researches were conducted in nursing homes (63%), and 74% of the participants were health-care providers or facility staff. The conceptual framework was used in only one study. The conceptual and operational definitions of PCC both comprised multilevels, including intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational levels. The conceptual definitions of PCC were mainly characterized by intrapersonal elements, including individualized care, dignity, and autonomy followed by organizational attributes such as comfortable environment. However, there were some inconsistencies in the attributes survey instruments shared. Conclusion: PCC needs to be recognized as a multilevel concept. More studies such as concept analysis and scale development are warranted for conceptualizing PCC systematically.