A patient is not a passive object on which we perform nursing care procedures.

A patient should never be thought of, or discussed, as merely a condition or injury. It is not acceptable to think of, or refer to, your patient as “the gallbladder” or “the fractured hip” or “the bleeding ulcer.” A patient is much more than the condition that brought him to the hospital. A patient is a human being, possessing physical and emotional needs and wants.

The relationship between the patient and the nursing staff is extremely dynamic and personal. The patient places his trust in the nursing staff and they, in return, must utilize all their knowledge and skills to ensure the patient’s well-being and assist in his return to good health and independence. This is accomplished by developing a therapeutic relationship between the patient, his family, and the health care professionals.

The nursing paraprofessional relates very closely with the patient and his family by virtue of his participation in providing nursing care and his presence at the bedside. It is often the nursing paraprofessional who makes the initial observation that something is not as it should be. Nursing paraprofessionals who are responsible, educated, and observant are assets to the therapeutic environment necessary for patient recovery. To help foster this therapeutic environment, the nursing paraprofessional must do the following:

Assess the patient’s ability to express himself.

Assess the patient’s mechanisms for coping.

Assess the patient’s level of understanding about his condition and the teaching provided by the health care professionals.

Assist the patient to establish a trusting relationship with the health care providers.

Utilize the nursing process to provide the best possible care.

Continue to pursue his education in order to sustain and enhance professional knowledge and skills.