FACTORS AFFECTING THE RAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP:
A rapport is developed between the nurse and the patient. Rapport is defined as, a relationship of mutual sympathy and understanding especially between patient and therapist. The ingredients for establishing an effective therapeutic relationship are warmth, genuineness, empathy, self-awareness, honesty, trust, confidentiality, maintenance a respect for the patient and concreteness.
Warmth Refers to the act of receiving the patient by calling hisher name, accepting the patient with symptoms of mental disorders, a willingness to care for the patient even though his symptoms are severe and his language harsh (which may be due to his illness). It may be annoying at times but keeping this in mind the nurse needs to help the patient in overcoming his problems by knowing the psychodynamics of the disease.
Genuineness Refers to the actual feelings or concern with which a nurse cares for the patient. In other words, the nurse is honest and sincere to herself and to the patient. For example, if patient asks, 'sister do you think I am seeing things that others cannot see (visual hallucination)'. The nurse explains by saying, "as you are unwell and your illness is of different kind that is why you have this problem. But as you are on treatment these symptoms will not be there after some time". Nurse honestly explains to the patient about his visual hallucination with genuine interest and concern.
Empathy It is described as one's capacity for understanding other's feeling by placing oneself in his situation or position. It also involves projecting the feelings of an individual who is going through the problem.