Reflective Practice in Nursing: Building Therapeutic Relationship with Patients

This reflection paper discusses the importance of building therapeutic relationship with patients in nursing practice. It reflects on a video that shows the effective way of building therapeutic relationship by a nursing professional with the patient. The paper also discusses the impact of the experience in completing clinical assessments.

Running head: REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1REFLECTION
Introduction:
One of the main skills that a health care professional need to have is the ability to become
reflective (Bulman & Schutz, 2013). It helps them to understand the strength and weakness of
individual. In order to provide effective care service a nursing professional need to ensure
reflective practice in their daily routine. It will help them to improve their own practice skill. The
health care professional need to understand the mistake they have done in their practice and
gather enough knowledge in order to introduce interventions that could help them to provide care
in an effective manner. Understanding own ability and limitation is important to become a
successful health care professional (Lauren, 2013). The assignment is based on the Gibb’s cycle
of reflection, through which I will reflect on one of my experience regarding the relationship
between patient and therapeutic professional. The following paper will provide idea about the
impact of the experience in completing clinical assessments.
Gibb’s Cycle of Reflection:
Discussion:
The assignment is about watching a video that was provided by the professor and
reflecting on the content of the video. The video shows the effective way of building therapeutic
relationship by a health care professional with the patient. The nursing professional in the video
has successfully maintained the standard 2 of NMBA code of conduct. The body posture and
way approaching of the nursing professional has shown his confidence level. In order to carry
out the vital sign assessment in an effective manner, the nursing professional has indulged the
patient in a light conversation. Throughout the session, the nursing professional has

2REFLECTION
communicated with the patient in a polite way that has helped him to get consent of the patient
regarding the vital sign assessment. The nursing professional has started the communication in a
respective manner and maintained it throughout the video. He has allowed the patient to
participate in the conversation so that the patient does not feel pressure in the presence of the
nursing professional. It is found in the video that the way of conversation has helped the nursing
professional to gain the trust of the patient and he has successfully established therapeutic
relationship with the patient.
Feelings:
The video that has provided along with the assignment has inspired me to build effective
therapeutic relationship with a patient. It was interesting to watch the communication way of the
nursing professional throughout the video. I was quite surprise to see the politeness of the
nursing professional. It was pleasure to watch the effort of the nursing professional in order to
build effective therapeutic relationship with the patient. The idea of indulging the patient in a
light conversation is interesting, as it has helped the nursing professional to gain the trust of the
patient. I have learned from the video that it is important to allow the patient to speak for him or
her in order to reduce the pressure regarding vital sign assessment. The video has helped me to
understand the way of starting communication with a patient for the first time. It has provided
the idea of respecting the consent of the patient regarding the therapy. I was happy to have a
visual experience of establishing effective therapeutic relationship with a patient. I have decided
to use the strategies provided the nursing professional in order to build therapeutic relationship
with a patient in an effective manner.

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Evaluation:
The visual experience is effective in order to understand the therapeutic relationship
between patient and the nursing professional as it has provided a practical example of
establishing such relationship rather than theory. The way of approaching of the nursing personal
has provided an idea to approach politely. He has shown his respect towards the consent of t he
patient, which is an important ethical code of nursing. The communication skill of the nursing
professional has provided the idea of starting conversation with a patient for first time and how
to make him comfortable in the session of vital sign assessment. The video has played an
important role in providing knowledge about the maintenance of standard 2 of NMBA code of
conduct. However, there is a negative impact of the video. The nursing professional has allowed
the patient to speak for him but when the patient shared his issues regarding the hospital; the
nursing professional did not try to understand the issue in depth. He just said “Ok” without any
concern. This might be a negative aspect of the video. Otherwise, the effort of the nursing
professional was commendable throughout the video. He has easily gained the trust of the patient
with his communication skill. The patient was seen to contribute in the vital sign assessment.
The overall video has a positive impact in order to gain knowledge about the way of establishing
effective therapeutic relationship with the patient.
Analysis:
Establishing mutual trust and respect is an important part of nursing practice. The
Standard 2 of NMBA provide the effective ways of engaging in the therapeutic relationship with
the patient. According to the standard 2 of NMBA, therapeutic relationship should be established
and maintained in a way that could differentiate the barriers between professional and personal
relationship (Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016). Effective communication should be

4REFLECTION
provided considering dignity, culture and rights of the patient. It could help to satisfy the patient
and gain his trust in an effective manner (McCabe & Timmins, 2013). The standard code also
stated that, it is important to approach in a way so that the patient feel the nursing professional is
respecting his autonomy (Stein-Parbury, 2013). It will help to get the consent of the patient
regarding the therapy. The nurses should use deliberation, collaboration, referrals and
consideration in the therapeutic relationship in order to achieve desired outcomes (Arnold, &
Boggs, 2015). Such strategies help to build proper therapeutic relationship with the patient,
When the patient realize that his consent and dignity is respected by the nursing professional,
they contribute in the process in an effective manner. The contribution of the patient is important
in order to build sustainable relationship. Their trust and dependence on the nursing professional
helps to carry out the assessment process without any difficulties (Thórarinsdóttir &
Kristjánsson, 2014).
Conclusion:
From the above analysis, it can be concluded that, the nursing professional has effectively
established therapeutic relationship with the patient. His effort of indulging patient in a light
conversation is appreciable, as it has helped to reduce the pressure of the patient. His way of
approaching is with politeness and respect has helped him to gain the trust of the patient, thus he
has carried out the assessment without any challenge. The video is very helpful in order to
improve the communication skill. Through the lesson provided by the video, I can develop my
knowledge regarding the therapeutic relationship and it will help me to satisfy a patient and
achieve desired outcomes.

5REFLECTION
Action Plan:
The standard 2 of NMBA code of conduct is one of the most important standards that
need to be maintained by all nursing professionals, thus, I would gather enough knowledge about
the standards of NMBA code of conduct. I would collect reliable article related to establishing
effective therapeutic relationship with the patient and learn the effective ways to build
therapeutic relation. I would attain workshop of improving communication skill for the next six
months. It will help me to conduct effective conversation with the patient. I would gather
knowledge about the ethics of nursing through books and journals in order to improve my skill
regarding patient safety and respect the culture, dignity and rights of the patient (Alligood,
2013). It could help me to gain the trust of the patient and carry out the session without any
challenges. I expect that, such actions will help me to build effective rapport with the patient and
establish myself as a successful nursing professional.

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Reference:
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