Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Therapeutic Relationships

  • The therapeutic relationship is central to all nursing practice
  • For example, in mental health and community nursing, the therapeutic relationship may be the primary intervention to promote awareness and growth and/or to work through difficulties
  • In other areas of nursing practice, for example ICU, the therapeutic relationship may be more in the background, serving as the intervention through which comfort, support, and provision of care are facilitated
  • Regardless of setting and clinical situation, the therapeutic relationship always needs to be established
Foundational
Establishing Therapeutic Relationship
Background Information