What is being done?

Nurses at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust were trained in the Person, Interaction and Environment (PIE) methodology and then took opportunities to sit and observe the care of people with dementia in a hospital setting.

Download a presentation about the development and use of the PIE Observational Tool

What is new and different?

Observations reveal that:

• Some practitioners demonstrate a person centred approach and excellent communication skills
• Where interaction takes place it can be kind and patient
• There are often long periods of time where absolutely nothing happened for the person with dementia

What difference this seems to be making

Applying the PIE methodology has enabled the nurses to identify key attributes that support good observation. These include the ability to:

• think fast and adapt (ward communications issues)
• sit quietly and not intervene unless patient at risk of harm or malpractice
• not lose your cool when something is blindingly obvious and doesn’t happen, and
• be creative when trying to find things to put in the “area for celebration” box.