Case: On his first evening of admission at the CAMU treatment center, he becomes very irritable that the nurse will not let him stay up to watch his favorite t.v. show and says “It doesn’t matter because I’m going to kill myself anyways”. Max is placed on 1:1 and when the psychiatrist shares with him the next day that this observation will commence to ensure his safety, he says he was just joking!
The goal of a therapeutic relationship is to help the person in treatment alter his or her life for the better. Establishing a therapeutic connection is an important element in the healing process, and trust is essential for the relationship to be beneficial. (Good Therapy, 2015)
Pertaining to Max's case, he would have a therapeutic relationship with both his nurse and psychiatrist. But more importantly he would need to develop a therapeutic relationship with his nurse, as that nurse will be a primary part in his care.
Therapeutic Nurse-Patient Relationship
A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is defined as a helping relationship based on mutual trust and respect, the nurturing of faith and hope, being sensitive to self and others, and assisting with the fulfilment of your patient's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through your knowledge and skill. (Pullen & Mathias, 2010).
A few tips for nurses to consider for building therapeutic relationships:
- When speaking with your patient, introduce yourself and mention their name. An introduction on your first encounter is a wonderful approach to develop trust and respect fast.
- When providing treatment, ensure that your patient has privacy. Assess that their fundamental needs are met, including the relief of pain or other sources of discomfort.
- Actively listen to your patient. Make sure that you understand her worries by restating what she has said. In this case, Max want to watch his favorite t.v show, but the nurse would not let him, the nurse should explain to max that since it is the first day at the treatment center, he should take the time to understand his surroundings and environment of the place, and then he can watch T.V.
- Maintain eye contact. Keep in mind that too much eye contact might be intimidating towards the patient. As you and your patient communicate, smile and nod frequently, and speak in a calming voice to provide patient ease.
- Maintain professional boundaries. Some patients might seek more therapeutic contact than others, such as hand-holding and embracing, while others prefer no touching at all.
(Pullen & Mathias, 2010).
References
Good Therapy. (2015, August 28). Therapeutic Relationship.
Retrieved from,
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/definition-of-therapeutic-relationship
Pullen, R. L., & Mathias, T. (May 2010 ) Fostering
therapeutic nurse-patient
relationships, Nursing Made Incredibly Easy!: Volume 8 - Issue 3 - p 4 doi: 10.1097/01.NME.0000371036.87494.11, Retrieved from, https://journals.lww.com/nursingmadeincrediblyeasy/fulltext/2010/05000/fostering_therapeutic_nurse_patient_relationships.1.aspx
Comments
Post a Comment