Critical Reflection on Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship - Nursing

This assignment is a critical reflection on the 'Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship' guideline provided by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO, 2006), viewed through the lens of Tanner's (2006) Clinical Judgment Model. The student analyzes the importance of empathy, patient-centered care, professional intimacy, and nursing power, emphasizing the need for nurses to maintain professional boundaries despite the potential for patients to misunderstand the therapeutic relationship. The reflection addresses the potential for nurses to inadvertently cross boundaries, leading to inequitable care. The student discusses the importance of interpreting situations where boundaries may be unclear and responding appropriately to prevent unethical practices. The assignment concludes by highlighting the key learnings regarding professional intimacy, patient-centeredness, empathy, and nursing power, and how they apply to future professional practice.

Running head: CRITICAL REFLECTION IN NURSING
CRITICAL REFLECTION IN NURSING
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1CRITICAL REFLECTION IN NURSING
Introduction
The following paper discusses critical reflections drawn via learning the ‘Therapeutic
Nurse-Client Relationship’ by the College Nurses of Ontario (CNO, 2006), by referring
extensively to the Clinical Judgment Model (Tanner, 2006).
Discussion
Introduction to Reading
Upon initial reading of the guideline, it is could be understood that the guideline provided
extensive information on the key principles a nurse must consider with regards to disseminating
clinical care to a patient, such as: empathy, patient centeredness, professional intimacy and
nursing power. A key learning which one can acquire from this guideline, is the fact that despite
the need to be empathetic and compassionate, a nurse must remember that he or she will always
have greater power and capability to educate and influence patient care (CNO, 2006).
Background
The key background underlying the development of this guideline is the tendency for
nurses to often overlook the professional boundaries to be maintained during patient
management and care (CNO, 2006). Indeed, as evidenced by Timbrell (2017), it is unsurprising
to find patients misunderstanding the therapeutic relationship, which in turn, compels the nurse
to cross professional boundaries.
Noticing
Examples of the above backgrounds can be prevalently noticed across healthcare
organization in the form of nurses spending more time and effort over specific patients as

2CRITICAL REFLECTION IN NURSING
compared to others. The Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship guideline, emphasizes on the
need to abstain in response to inequitable care and time administered by nurses across patients
(CNO, 2006).
Interpreting
When met with the above circumstances, the guideline (CNO, 2006), recommends nurses
to interpret such situations clear examples of the patient being unclear of the professional
intimacy to be maintained with nurses. Indeed, it has been evidenced that if not mitigated on
time, nurses are likely to cross professional limitations in response to unrealistic patient demands
(Timbrell, 2017), which in turn can pave the way for unethical and unprofessional nursing care.
Responding, Reflection and Clinical Learning
The Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship guidelines demonstrate the need for nurses to
abstain from boundary crossing activities and the continuously remind patients of the same.
Thus, reflecting upon an experience based on the Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship taught
me skills on professional intimacy, patient centeredness, empathy and nursing power (CNO,
2006) and their application on future professional practice.
Conclusion
To conclude, nurses must maintain professional therapeutic relationships during
dissemination of patient care practices.

3CRITICAL REFLECTION IN NURSING
References
CNO. (2006). Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship, Revised 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2020,
from https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41033_therapeutic.pdf.
Tanner, C. A. (2006). Thinking like a nurse: A research-based model of clinical judgment in
nursing. Journal of nursing education, 45(6), 204-211.
Timbrell, J. (2017). Instructional storytelling: application of the clinical judgment model in
nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(5), 305-308.