Factors that Influence the Development of a Nurse Patient Therapeutic Relationship - Essay Example

In the current advent of innovation and globalization, the world of health care provision is also undergoing a paradigm shift with the current focus of health care being on the provision of holistic care and adapting a transcultural approach to healthcare. One of the integral factors in achieving the aforementioned goals is the development of a strong and effective therapeutic relationship between the nurses and the patients.

While working with Nora, there are several cultural and communication-related considerations that have to be kept in mind and overcome in order to develop a good therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Firstly, since language differences can be a major impediment in the formation of a good nurse-patient rapport and in the flow of information between the two parties, as English might be the second or third language for Nora, the nurses should make arrangements for the presence of interpreters or aboriginal health workers to facilitate the flow of information between the two parties (Blackman, 2009, p. 211).

Secondly, the use of necessary and appropriate communication skills during the nurse-patient interaction is important. While interacting with the patients, the nurses should ask open-ended questions instead of asking directed questions, giving the patients a chance to express their concerns and perceptions regarding the disease. Moreover, they should also take measures to ensure the involvement of the family during the interaction and should provide information regarding the patient’s condition to the family as well (Jackson, Brady, & Stein, 2003, p. 101). In addition, the nurses should also make use of culturally appropriate non-verbal gestures such as eye contact, facial expressions, and touching while interacting with the patients. However, the nurses should be aware of the patient’s cultural norms before using such gestures since the same gestures might have different connotations for people belonging to culturally diverse backgrounds. For example, direct eye contact is considered to be disrespectful in certain cultures and thus should be avoided while interacting with patients from such backgrounds (McGrath, & Philips, 2008, p. 59). In the same way, the nurses should also be well aware of the patient’s spiritual beliefs as these beliefs play an important role in shaping the patient’s perceptions regarding their disease and the treatment process.

Similarly, another important communication tool is active listening via remaining silent at timely intervals during the interaction. By making use of silence, the nurses give the patients a chance to organize their thoughts and feelings. Moreover, it also helps in making the patients more comfortable and reflects respect for the patient on the part of the nurses (Eckermann, Dowd, Chong, Nixon, Gray, & Johnson, 2006, p. 103).

During the nurse-patient encounter, environmental factors also play an important role. These factors include privacy, noise levels, and safety and measures should be taken to keep these factors under control so that they do not hinder effective nurse-patient interaction (Watts, & Carlson, 2002, p. 84).

In addition to being aware of the patient’s social and cultural norms, the nurses should also understand and respect these values and refrain from being judgmental or stereotyping the patients based on their cultural background (Blackman, 2009, p. 212). In order to provide holistic care, it is important to consider the psychological, cultural, and spiritual well-being of the patients in addition to their physical well-being as all these factors are important determinants of overall health (Blackman, 2009, p. 213). It is imperative for the nurses to not only fully understand the cultural beliefs and values which underlie the patients’ reactions and perceptions regarding their disease but also to make arrangements to help the patients deal with these issues in a culturally sensitive manner. For example, the nurses can arrange an aboriginal health worker who would facilitate the attainment of both the spiritual and cultural wellbeing of Nora, in addition to addressing their existing physical health problems (Cass, Lowell, Christie, Snelling, Flack, Marrnganyin, et al. 2002, p. 468). 

The nurses should explore the patient's concerns and perspectives regarding the disease, make ample use of appropriate non-verbal gestures, display empathy, and should provide the patients with culturally appropriate solutions for their problems and concerns.