Developing effective and caring nurse-patient relationships

Abstract

Establishing positive and trusting therapeutic relationships with patients has long been recognised as an essential component of nursing practice and is important for effective care. There are various challenges in clinical practice that make it increasingly difficult to deliver effective care centred on such relationships. Understanding and addressing these challenges is crucial to ensure a positive experience of care for patients, families, carers and nurses. This article outlines how nurses can use a framework to develop therapeutic relationships with patients and use the best available evidence to deliver effective care. It also explores the challenges in developing effective therapeutic relationships with patients at the healthcare system level, and considers how these challenges can be addressed.

Finding the fundamental needs behind resistance to care: Using the Fundamentals of Care Practice Process

“… Relationship is the core of the FOC framework (Kitson, Conroy, et al, ). It integrates five essential relational elements (Feo, Rasmussen, Wiechula, Conroy, & Kitson, ; Kitson, ). The first element is trust, which requires the nurse to adopt a set of behaviours characterised by compassion, respect and empathy.…”

“…The first element is trust, which requires the nurse to adopt a set of behaviours characterised by compassion, respect and empathy. The nurse must also provide clear explanations and involve the person in his or her own care (Feo, Rasmussen, et al, ). Trust is an ongoing relational process that is build and strengthened throughout each care episode.…”

“…Trust is an ongoing relational process that is build and strengthened throughout each care episode. Second, once trust is established, the nurse focuses on the person with full attention, being receptive and responsive to all communication, including the nonverbal (Feo, Rasmussen, et al, ). Third, the nurse must anticipate the person's needs, meaning how the nurse can support him or her to achieve his or her unique physical, psychosocial and emotional goals.…”

“…The fourth relational element is knowing the patient. This means that the nurse knows the person and his or her family, understands their needs, demonstrates interest in the experience they go through and adapts to his or her communication accordingly (Feo, Rasmussen, et al, ). Fifth, the nurse must evaluate the quality of the relationship and consider the expectations and improvements to be achieved (Feo, Rasmussen, et al, ).…”

Instruments measuring behavioural aspects of the nurse–patient relationship: A scoping review

“…The nurse–patient relationship is a professional, therapeutic relationship designed to enable nurses to plan, deliver and evaluate care that meets patients’ unique health needs (Feo, Rasmussen, Wiechula, Conroy, & Kitson, ; Gordon, ; Weinberg, ). The importance of a safe, trusting nurse–patient relationship for patient care experiences and outcomes, and for nurse satisfaction, is well established (Bridges et al, ; Feo, Donnelly, Muntlin Athlin, & Jangland, ; Marshall, Kitson, & Zeitz, ; Wiechula et al, ).…”