Variations on a theme: Labeling patients as persons, the nursed, or client in nursing

Abstract

The debate regarding the variation of names used for labeling the patient in a nursing care situation has always existed in nursing. Names such as patient, client, person, and nursed have been used widely among healthcare disciplines, including nursing. However, does the use of any of these identifying terms establish the appropriate identification of the nurse and the persons being nursed in a nursing care situation participating in a mutual relationship? This editorial aims to address the varieties and rationales of identifying persons participating in or receiving nursing care. Among these terms, “person” describing human beings underscores personhood, allowing nurse-nursed relations to foster, support, celebrate, and affirm living the meaning of what matters most to one’s life. Therefore, it will be advantageous to nursing practice if the term “person being nursed” is the relevant descriptor to be considered as the primary label.

Viewing persons solely as the summation of organ systems confines nursing practice

“…Some scholars explicitly used the word ‘person’ to describe its relation to nursing, while others used the word ‘human,’ but all refer to the same key point: the one receiving care. Even though there are variations of “labels” to address the one receiving care in nursing, for example, as client or patient, Betriana and Locsin ( 2022 ) argued that using the word “person” is considered to increase the value of human beings who are able to participate in their care actively.…”