european wound management association 2019 vol 20 no 1 49 team. Once home the patient’s task is to watch over the wound. They need to know when to contact their healthcare team if something is not right, such as when they have a fever, the wound dressing leaks, they notice a smell, or when other problems related to the wound occur. Nursing involves both surgical and non-surgical care. Excellent nursing requires theoretical knowledge and an ability to perform with an ethical approach.3 The patient is a specialist in his/herself and a valuable resource, but they do not always feel like an equal partner in their own healthcare.4 They are entitled to, and responsible for, decisions that concern their own lives. The nurse can both facilitate the healing process and support the patient in increasing the feeling of well-being that can lead to an improved quality of life.5-8 For patients to become more involved in their wellness, they need information, support, and knowledge about medical treatments. Laws and regulations shape healthcare in Sweden just as in other countries. Swedish law states that health and medical care must be conducted in such a way that it meets the requirements for good care and that it must be based on respect for the patient’s self-determination and integrity.9-11 Systematic quality work must also be performed in parallel12 to continuously develop and secure the quality of care. However, the goal of achieving high quality patient-centred care has proven difficult. Participation Patient participation is a vague and ambiguous concept. The nurse plays a crucial role in encouraging and engaging the patient, which in turn increases his or her self-esteem. 13 To achieve this goal, collaboration based on communication and understanding of the situation is required.14 Health and medical care have evolved from being traditional and paternalistic to starting from the patient’s personal preferences.15 If the nurse has a positive attitude plus gives encouragement and support to the patient, it is of great importance for participation and patient safety. 2 Being seen is of great importance to the patient’s sense of participation.16 Patients are often satisfied with the treatment, but less satisfied with information and participation. A well-informed and engaged patient is more likely to follow treatment plans and experience increased well-being.13 A person-centred approach requires participation from the whole healthcare team. Person-centred care also requires becoming familiar with another person’s perspective, and the ability to adapt working methods based on the patient’s needs and wishes. For the nurse, this means having a holistic perspective, being honest and committed, and willing to show respect for the individual patient’s story.3 It is important to ask patients open-ended questions, listen carefully, and allow time for the patient to express himself.2,15,17 Improved communication, individualised care, shared decision-making, and patient education are other factors that lead to increased patient involvement and independence.15 In one of the first literature reviews on person-centred care, person-centring is defined as an approach with four central concepts: being in a relationship, being in a social world, being in a place, and being yourself.18 Within personcentred care, the perspective is shifted from describing “what” a patient is about to telling “who” a person is based on three parts: the patient’s story, forming a partnership (i.e., the team’s collective knowledge of the patient), and having a documented planned agreement.19 Placing the patient as the focal point, which is based on relationships and the need for a patient story, is actually not a new concept; one can read it already in Travelbee’s interaction theory.20 Communication between nurse and patient is fundamental to good care. There are several touch points between Travelbee’s theory and person-centred care. She describes it as essential that all people have equal value, and that one should see each patient as a human being and not someone who is “sick.” With person-centred care, nurses are aware that suffering is subjective. Regardless of the disease or diagnosis, the patient may experience illness differently, and