The caring behaviors of the home health nurse and influence on medication adherence.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the caring behaviors of the home health nurse toward the patient influence the patient's medication adherence. The study focused on what effects the verbal and nonverbal caring behaviors of the nurse toward the patient have on the patient's medication adherence. How is the patient's perception of caring by the nurse related to his or her medication adherence? The study was conducted in a Midwestern home health agency over a 4-week period. Findings indicated an improvement in the use of verbal and nonverbal caring behaviors by the nurses with their patients. The patients perceived an increased use of these caring behaviors by the nurses with them. The patients' medication adherence and barriers to adherence improved. Other significant findings indicated that the verbal and nonverbal caring behaviors of the nurses and the patients' perception of the caring behaviors influenced and improved the patients' medication adherence by week 4.