Nursing student-patient relationship: a review of the literature from 1984 to 1998.

AIM AND
BACKGROUND: The aim of this review is to examine the research of the nursing student-patient relationship for planning an empirical study in this area.
METHODS: A literature search was made focusing on relationship from student and patient perspectives. The sample included 104 articles from 1984 to 1998. The articles were analysed using an inductive analysis of the literature.
RESULTS: The review shows that there has been an increasing research interest in the issue since the 1980s, with the main focus on nursing students. Most of the studies were of a descriptive nature, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It seems that the relationship with a patient is an important part of a meaningful learning process, teaching nursing students about the patient's individualised care and promoting their personal and professional growth, confidence and self-esteem. Patients are willing to participate in students' learning process and they tend to benefit from therapeutic and social interaction with students. Instruction has the effect of changing students' attitudes and improving their interaction skills, but it does not affect their feelings of anxiety in novel situations.
CONCLUSIONS: In future empirical research should be based more firmly on theory-based illuminations of the student-patient relationship.