The nurse-patient relationship describes the connection and interaction between patients and nurses. In order to provide high-quality healthcare services to patients, such as preventative care, diagnostics and medication, nurses must create a dynamic, therapeutic and ethical connection with patients.
The profession of nursing cannot be effective without a solid relationship between nurses and patients, which is built on mutual respect, trust and other interpersonal abilities. Supporting and addressing a patient’s psychological, physiological and spiritual requirements, as well as providing guidance and support to the patient and relatives, can assist in the provision of high-quality nursing care.
Every nurse must intentionally work to enhance patient care and the entire nursing experience. In certain instances, nurses can do this by developing a close bond with each of their patients. The fundamentals of this connection are valid in many contexts, including pediatric care and in long-term healthcare facilities such as nursing homes and hospice settings.
Impacts of nurse-patient relationship on healthcare
Every nursing professional, from those who work in a hospital ER to those who provide home health services, clearly demonstrates the value of a nurse-patient connection in nursing practice. Health outcomes are significantly impacted by a nurse’s interactions with patients. When there is a solid nurse-patient relationship, hospital stays are decreased, and the care is of greater quality, and leads to both the nurse and patients being satisfied and pleased.
How to develop an effective nurse-patient relationship
A career in nursing can be extremely rewarding and there is a growing demand for aspiring nurses. Those who are considering the career outlook for nurses, will need to learn the skills necessary to form enduring bonds with their patients. This can be achieved by enrolling in an accredited nursing program through an institution such as Baylor University. It offers a variety of online nursing programs in both part-time and full-time formats, allowing you to adjust your studies to suit your individual needs. Courses such as these teach nurses how to establish trusting relationships with the patients they work with every day. This will not only aid in improving the health of patients but is also beneficial for the physical and emotional health of nurses.
There are several steps nurses can take which help them to develop good relationships with patients. Some of the essential steps are as follows:
- Recognize your patient
Get to know your patients and show empathy for them in order to keep them compliant and upbeat. Simply inquire about their passions, interests, occupations, relatives or what satisfies them. The next few moments will assist you in understanding your patient’s personality and will also have a beneficial impact on the bond you aim to establish.
- Compassion and empathy
In addition to providing medical care, nurses must fully comprehend the patient’s present mental state and views about their health. As a result, being compassionate and empathetic helps strengthen patient relationships. As a nurse, you should pay close attention to the thoughts, feelings and problems of your patients and make an effort to understand them in order to best serve them.
- Communicate regularly
One of the most important methods for improving patient health is to promote constructive and beneficial conversation. By engaging and speaking with your patients and learning about their preferences and mental health, you may be able to establish positive relationships with them. A simple but effective approach is letting your patients know when their condition has changed or revised regulations have been implemented. Open communication is essential to a patient’s wellbeing, so nurses should regularly explain any medical processes or treatment plans to patients in a clear and straightforward manner.
- Active listening
Active listening plays a crucial component during the healing and treatment process of the patient. It is an effective technique to allow patients to express their feelings and opinions. By developing active listening skills, nurses are better able to understand their patients’ preferences and act accordingly. Reflecting the sentiment or meaning hidden behind the patient’s words is the aim of active listening. If you listen to comprehend rather than to react, you will build stronger relationships.
- Trust and respect
Respect is the foundation of all interactions, including those in the medical field. Even though it is an obligation for nurses to provide medical assistance to their patients, it is also important to give up part of this control and to respect a patient’s freedom to choose their own course of treatment. Trust is crucial in all relationships, but it is especially important in the healthcare sector. As a result, you should be open and honest with patients.
- Be persistent
Nurses must possess the essential trait of patience while dealing with patients, which further aids in increasing patients’ respect and trust in them. Nurses need to exercise patience at many levels as they care for their patients. Patience is essential to providing patients with the best care possible.
- Maintaining privacy
A crucial component of healthcare is confidentiality as it helps patients to feel secure and protected while disclosing sensitive and personal information. As one might anticipate, maintaining one’s privacy helps build strong bonds, so it is the duty of nurses to maintain the highest level of patient information confidentiality.
- Follow-up
Sending a follow-up email, making a call to your patient or routinely following up with currently admitted patients in the healthcare setting is one additional technique to demonstrate your genuine concern. Just get in touch with your patient to see how things are going. This follow-up will foster a genuinely positive mood and support the development of a solid connection. Patients need assurance that they have been heard and understood and that someone genuinely cares about them. Patients will value your relationship with them and want to support and participate in their healing process.