Nurses’ emotions on care relationship: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aims: To describe nurses' experiences regarding the care relationship built with medical-surgical patients in acute hospitalization units and the association with their clinical practice. Background: Nurses' commitment to care and their relationships as well are the core of quality of care. Nurses consider that the emotional commitment is essential to the profession, thus accepting to be exposed to emotional distress. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted to explore the experience of 23 nurses from seven Spanish hospitals. Taped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to inductive content analysis. Results: Six subcategories emerged from the data analysis: Fulfilling experiences, Feeling the pain of others, Emotional distress, Stepping back, Seeking professional support, and Evolution of emotions, which were combined in two main categories: Nurses' emotions and Nurses' coping strategies. Patient's suffering, work environment and interprofessional relations influence the care relationship. Conclusions: Positive and negative emotions emerge spontaneously in professional relationships of experienced nurses. Lack of time and high workloads are factors that hinder the nurse-patient relationship. This care relationship is often the reason that fulfils them. Despite their level of expertise and having coping strategies, these are not always effective and, sometimes, nurses need professional help. Implications for Nursing Management: Nurses will continue performing their job with commitment; therefore, nursing managers should take care of their staff and pay attention to the emotional competence related to patients' relationships. Promoting self-care and a good working environment could improve their coping mechanisms.

Defining and characterising the nurse–patient relationship: A concept analysis

“…76 From a nursing perspective, organisational and working environments and conditions also influence therapeutic relationships. [77][78][79] Another important feature of the patient-nurse relationship found in the literature is patient intimacy and confidentiality. Barrio-Cantalejo acknowledges that health-related relationships are based on the recognition of the right of patients to participate in health-related decisions.…”

“…76 From a nursing perspective, organisational and working environments and conditions also influence therapeutic relationships. 77–79…”

Are data on missed nursing care useful for nursing leaders? The RN4CAST@IT cross‐sectional study

“…While these findings do not reflect exploration of nurse satisfaction, other studies show that nurses are dissatisfied when they have to ration care due to lack of resources (Hegney et al., 2019). Thus, nurses' awareness of their missed care is likely a cause of frustration, dissatisfaction and emotional effects (Font‐Jimenez et al, 2019) much of which can serve to further affect care, including potentiating missed care (Aiken et al., 2012). A recent study identified that about one‐third of the nursing staff was not satisfied with their work environment, where 17% have no confidence in the field of management and the lack of support from nursing leadership was a cause for the omission of treatment.…”

“…The erosion in care is due in part to the increasing burden on nurses that not only translates into ‘more patients to take care of’, but also in emotional exhaustion, increased professional responsibility (Font‐Jimenez et al, 2019; Jacob, Mckenna, & D'Amore, 2015) and coping with ethical dilemmas on a daily basis (Suhonen & Scott, 2018). Aiken et al (2018) concluded that missed nursing care is more frequent where patient satisfaction is lower and is statistically negatively associated with outcomes on satisfaction (Aiken et al, 2018).…”

“…Aiken et al (2018) concluded that missed nursing care is more frequent where patient satisfaction is lower and is statistically negatively associated with outcomes on satisfaction (Aiken et al, 2018). Nurses learn to cope with these situations by detaching themselves emotionally, sometimes seeking additional emotional support (Font-Jimenez et al, 2019), but nonetheless, the resultant missed care affects the quality of care provided and accentuates the nurses' burden even more.…”