CARING and

HELPING RELATIONSHIP
 The Value of Caring
Caring involves a sense of dedication to
another person
When unable to exhibit caring to clients,
nurse can no longer deliver the nurturing
activities to assist people
Caring makes curing possible (Kurtz and
Warry, 1991)
Must be integrated as a standard of
performance in all care activities
 CARING and
HELPING RELATIONSHIP
 Caring and Methods of Effective
Communication
Listening attentively
To be an attentive listener, the nurse use the
following skills :
1. Face client while they speak
2. Maintain natural eye contact to show
willingness to listen
3. Assume an attentive posture
4. Avoid distracting body movements
5. Nod in acknowledgment when clients talk
important point
6. Lean toward speakers
 Caring and Methods of Effective
Communication
Conveying acceptance
Means not judging another person and demonstrates the
interviewers willingness to listen to the clients belief,
values and practices
A willingness to hear the person without conveying doubt or
disagreement
The following show that the nurse accept what a client has
to say :
1. Listening without interrupting
2. Providing verbal feedback that demonstrates
understanding
3. Non verbal cues match verbal communication
4. Avoid arguing, expressing doubts
Caring and Methods of Effective
Communication
Asking related questions
Related with the topic and use word pattern in the
clients normal social cultural context
Follow a logical sequence
If the nurse wants the client to elaborate, use open
ended question
Clarifying
When misunderstanding occurs, the nurse
momentarily stops the discussion to clarify the
meaning
 Caring and Methods of Effective
Communication
Focusing
Eliminates vagueness in communication by limiting
the area of discussion
Stating observation
Stating observations often leads the client to
communicate more clearly
Offering information
Offers information that gives the client additional
data or insight to encourages further responses
 Caring and Methods of Effective
Communication
Maintaining silence
Allows the nurse and clients organize thoughts
Silence is particularly useful when clients are
confronted with difficult decision
Using assertiveness
Standing up for ones right without violating those
of others (Stanhope, Lancaster, 1992)
Summarizing
A concise review of main ideas that have been
discussed
Definition of Helping Relationship
The nurse-client relationship is more than a
mutual partnership
It is a process in which the helper is asked to
intervene in the life of the client to help the client
engage in more effective behavior
The nurse uses skills of interpersonal
communication that allows understanding of
client as total person
Provide physical and psychosocial comfort to the
client
 Characteristic of helping
relationship
It is a partnership between the client and the nurse
It is purposeful and productive
It can palliate the clients worries and fears
It can be a psychic and morale booster
It has phases
It should be personally tailored to the needs of each
particular client
It is platonic
It is a private relationship
It can be a powerful relationship
 Dimension of Helping Relationship
Trust
Unless clients believe that the nurse wishes to care for their
needs, a trusting relationship cannot develop
To foster trust, the nurse acts consistently, reliably and
competently
Empathy
The ability to enter into the life of another and accurately
perceive feelings and meaning
Caring
It is basic to a helping relationship
Autonomy and mutuality
Autonomy is an ability to be self-directed. Mutuality involves
sharing with another
 Phases of a Helping Relationship
1. Pre interaction phase
Before a first meeting with a client, the nurse reviews
information pertaining to the client
A time when the nurse plans an approach
2. Orientation phase
Begins when the nurse and the client first meet
The purpose of the orientation phase include :
- Introduction of nurse and client
- Elaboration of the clients need
- Acceptance of the clients need for assistance
- Agreement that the clients will direct energies
- Clarification of limitations and responsibilities
 Phases of a Helping Relationship
3. Working phase
The nurse strives to meet goals set during the orientation
phase
The nurse and the client work together
4. Termination
During the orientation phase, the nurse tells the client when
to expect the relationship to end. When termination
occurs, the client should not be surprised
The primary objective at the end of any helping relationship
is termination in a planned and satisfying manner
Outcomes of Helping Relationship
Increased client understanding of how
better personal responsibilities and
accountability for health can be achieved
Perceived satisfaction in the relationship