Inspired after hearing Maureen Bisognano speak about flipping healthcare from "what's the matter with you?" to "What matters to you?" Senior Charge Nurse Jen Rodgers developed a fun way for children to create a poster that describes the things that mattered to them.By starting small and trying it out with one nurse and one child she gradually built interest and will with the multi-disciplinary team. Soon the ward was full of colourful posters displayed above children's beds!
Jen moved from the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley to a new role at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow where she began the work of spreading her idea to all the inpatient areas there.
This is clearly a great thing to do and reminds us of the importance of knowing the person - no matter how small! But one great story that illustrates the potential wider benefits of this type of approach can be found in the story of Kendra.
Kendra was a young girl with severe autism and with the help of her father the team completed a "what matters to me?" poster.
The poster  included all sorts of information ranging from how she would greet you by touching your hair to a warning that medication time was challenging and she could run fast! All handily displayed above the bed. Soon after admission Kendra's dad (her main carer) was taken ill and unable to be with her for a number of days.
In the past its unlikely that all the vital information on the "what matters to me" poster would have been reliably recorded, remembered or shared. How would you react if she reached for your hair? Or would you be ready for the fast escape attempt at medicine time? All this important information was captured and recorded by a reliable (fun!) process and it helped the team provide high quality person-centred care.
Well done Jen and all the team!