Introduction:

The purpose of this essay is to reflect on Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships which the 2nd Standard of NMBA Registered nurse standards for practice (2016). I will use Gibb’s model to explain my thoughts on therapeutic and professional relationships as it is one of the best ways to critically analyze a situation and hopefully come out with an effective solution.


Description:

We will have clinical placement going on our next semester. We will get the opportunity to practically serve humanity by nursing the individuals in need. We have been prepared for the job, still, I have a concern about NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016) from the ANSAT clinical tool, which is Standard 2: Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships

A “Therapeutic Relationship” is the relationship between the health care professional and the person in therapy, the purpose of which is to development of positive clinician-patient experiences. The health care workers are expected to exhibit empathy, and supportive and non-judgmental behavior towards the client during an often stressful period (Ardito, 2011).

Originally received attention in the mental health nursing community, Therapeutic Relationship, later has been discovered to be very essential in all nursing. It has the power to enrich the patients’ experiences so that they feel better and gain confidence.


Feelings:

I recognize the effectiveness of this relationship. In fact, I find this part of our job really exciting that for the sake of patient’s wellbeing and being really effective in it we should have a good relationship that encompasses trust, empathy, and supportive behavior.

But as easy as it sounded when we were taught about it, after thinking a bit I realized this is not going to be as easy.


Evaluation:

After evaluating the situation, my thought is a poor therapeutic behavior can cause harm to the patient, at the same time struggling with unfavorable situations and keeping it calm can stress us out, which can be harmful to our mental health.

My fellow nurses and I are good in our intentions but there are always certain situations that are unfavorable and not in our control. Keeping it calm and demonstrate very positive and empathetic behavior will be very difficult for us nurses.


Establishing a good relationship with patients can be difficult for various reasons –

  • Lack of communication skill, we nurses must develop it, but the problem occurs when the patients lack communication skill and ability to express himself and his problems
  • The overall environment is not in our control, some set up and environment of therapies can be stressful for both the nurses and the patients
  • Australia having people of multiple cultures, beliefs,s and races, we way of communication may also differ (Qureshi, 2011).


Analysis:

It was found that “Therapeutic listening”, “Responding to patient emotions and unmet needs”, and “Patient centeredness” were key characteristics of strategies for improving therapeutic interpersonal relationships (Kornhaber, 2016).

Raising awareness and providing specific competencies amongst clinicians and patients in terms of nurturing a good therapeutic relationship in acute settings, are necessary to improve clinical outcomes.

Team work, we should maybe help each other throughout the process, share our problem with so that we can have relief and they will not need to work together on the same patient but can prove emotional support or even chances are someone may come up a solution that makes it easy.

We have the doubt probably because we have not experienced it at all, or if some us did but not did enough so it may have to look such a big problem. Maybe for practicing nurses it becomes habituated. We are about to figure out that.


Conclusion:

Establishing good therapeutic interpersonal behavior is fundamental, we nurses have to recognize the overall picture instead of being task-oriented and ignore the patient’s emotional conditions. We need a lot of practice for this specifically, and nurses need to help be supportive ourselves as well, we that we feel better, which eventually will enrich the patient's experience with our service.


Action Plan:

Following these 3 key strategies of therapeutic interpersonal relationships – which are “Therapeutic listening”; “Responding to patients’ emotions and unmet needs”; and “Patient centeredness and therapeutic engagement” (Kornhaber, 2016).

Work on our communication skills, so that we can even communicate with shy patients without making them uncomfortable.

Make sure that the patient has some privacy when we care about them and their basic needs are met.

We take care of our mental help, we stay happy and positive. Take proper food, rest and sleep, do yoga our something that freshens our mind.

We, nurses, help each other, sometimes suggesting some solutions or sometimes just providing mental support at least.

And the authorities can do is –

  • Try to make the environment friendly and easy for both: the person in therapy as well as for health care workers.
  • Raise awareness and providing specific competencies amongst clinicians and patients in terms of nurturing a good therapeutic relationship in acute settings, are necessary to improve clinical outcomes (Kornhaber, 2016).


Bibliography:

Ardito, R. B. (2011). Therapeutic alliance and outcome of psychotherapy: historical excursus, measurements, and prospects for research. Frontiers in psychology, 5-7.

Kornhaber, R. W. (2016). Enhancing adult therapeutic interpersonal relationships in the acute health care setting: an integrative review. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare.

Qureshi, A. &. (2011). The intercultural and interracial therapeutic relationship: Challenges and recommendations. International Review of Psychiatry.