How to Build Good Relationships With Patients as an RN
Building strong patient relationships is one of the most crucial parts of being a registered nurse (RN). You will be treating people in vulnerable situations, and it’s important that they feel supported and comfortable throughout their visit.
By creating an environment where patients are heard, respected, informed, and truly cared for, RNs can establish trust and create positive care experiences for their patients.
Listen Well
Learning how to listen well goes a long way in healthcare. You’ll want to make sure that you regularly ask patients how they are feeling and familiarize yourself with their current and future care needs.
Practice active listening, ask follow-up questions, and show genuine interest in what they have to say. It helps people to know that their concerns are being taken seriously, especially when they are experiencing pain or discomfort.
It also reminds them that they are not alone. Sometimes, people just need some encouragement or a friendly face to talk to, even when the conversation goes past their medical concerns.
Further, listening to your patients can better equip you to provide the best treatment possible. In doing so, you might catch a small detail they mentioned that ends up being key information for their care, like making a connection between seemingly unrelated symptoms or noticing a change in their condition that might have otherwise been overlooked.
Make an Effort to Understand
Along with listening, showing compassion and understanding as an RN makes a big difference in patient experiences as well.
Go above and beyond to put yourself in their shoes and imagine what they might be feeling, both physically and emotionally. This helps you view their actions through a new lens. Every patient handles pain, stress, and fear differently, so try to lead with grace in instances when people are not their best selves.
Additionally, show them that you truly care and that their personal experience matters to you. Even with all of your education and training, patients will come with their own unique circumstances that you can’t always perfectly prepare for. The best thing you can do is get to know them and what they need on an individual level, recognizing that you might need to use different bedside and treatment approaches with different people.
Treat Them with Dignity
Always make sure that you are treating patients with the utmost dignity, prioritizing respect and consent. Healthcare situations can involve vulnerability, a loss of control, and embarrassment, and it’s your job to remind people that you take their privacy, comfort, and boundaries very seriously.
Explain each thing you are doing to make sure they are on the same page about what’s currently happening, and encourage questions throughout their care process. Listen to them if they voice concerns or objections, ask permission before coming into their room, and always respect their privacy. In vulnerable moments where patients can tend to feel embarrassed, reassure them that their situation is normal and nothing to be ashamed of.
You must also remember that every patient will have their own values and beliefs, and these might be different from yours. As an RN, it’s not your job to make assumptions, apply your own beliefs, or think of areas where you disagree with patients; it’s your job to provide great care catered to their needs regardless of what you believe. If you are unsure about their preferences, you can always ask when applicable.
Keep Them Informed
Keep your patients informed every step of the way. This encourages them to become active participants in their own care, which can give them back a sense of independence and control. And the more information they have, the better prepared they are to know what their wishes are.
Remember that they do not have the knowledge that you do as an RN, so take extra time to explain more complicated matters in terms that are easy to understand, avoiding medical jargon and complex terminology. If they have questions, walk them through those as well.
Communicate frequently with your patients. Many people spiral the longer they go without news, so keep them in the know about results, changes, procedures, and other aspects of their treatment (as instructed by your higher-ups and within your scope of practice).
Build Trust
It can be difficult for people to trust someone they have just met, especially with their health. Some people have a history of negative medical experiences, while others have trust issues for different reasons.
When you show them that you see them, value their well-being, and respect them, you increase the chance that they will trust you. And when they do, it creates a positive, safe care experience for them.
Additionally, this makes it more likely that they will be fully honest about their symptoms and not withhold information for fear of judgment. This can significantly affect their treatment, especially if they have left out important details.
Connect with IHI
At Idaho Healthcare Institute (IHI), we’re proud collaborators with the College of Eastern Idaho (CEI). It’s our mission to support nursing students throughout their academic careers by connecting them with the right resources and relieving financial burdens.
Our LPN to RN Bridge Scholarship Program is designed to help CEI students financially as they navigate an accelerated RN schooling journey that combines education with real-world clinical experience.
IHI is here to support you on your way to becoming a registered nurse. Connect with our team today for more information about our scholarships.