engleski

A Partner Relationship in Meeting the Needs of Patients and Their Families

A nurse is the first person who comes in contact with patients and their family members. She shares information with them by verbal and non-verbal communication, with the goal of establishing a good relationship and focusing her attention on the patient as a whole person. Nurse’s sincere thoughts and feelings create a sense of security and open communication, which are key elements for providing healthcare and inclusion of the family in the decision-making process. A nurse who spends her time by the patient’s side plans, implements, evaluates and documents the changes in the patient’s condition. That way the healthcare is focused on meeting the physiological needs and maintaining stable condition of the patient. Struggle for life doesn’t leave any time for the family to adjust to the new situation. Establishing the patient –family –nurse relationship is important not only in the beginning, but also during the whole treatment and decision-making process. When relationships within the family are stable, the family has an irreplaceable role in developing asense of security and belonging for the patient. Providing care for the patient is a priority for the healthcare team, whereas the most significant thing for the family are sincere and correct information about the patient’s current condition, the effectof the applied therapy and the possible outcome of the treatment. Developing care philosophy focused on the family and the holistic approach includes assessment of the family’s needs and the impact of the disease on its overall functioning. Cultural factors play a significant role in the ability to understand not only the patient’s but also the family’s point of view. Medical, ethical, legal and a whole range of other problems connected to the receiver and provider of services can be avoided by effective communication. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of a partner relationship, focusing on the family and the essential role of the nurse in decision-making.

patient ; family ; nurse ; spouses ; decision making

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