Connectedness in the nurse-patient relationship: a grounded theory study.

What is that "special," meaningful relationship that nurse and patient sometimes share? A grounded theory study was undertaken to answer this question. Findings highlighted that the nurse-patient relationship (NPR) exists for the nurse to meet health needs of the patient. Ordinarily, these are biopsychosocial needs. However, at times patients present with needs emanating from deep within the person, which are deemed needs of the spirit. Under certain conditions with a nurse who is competent and willing, a process evolves, marked by meaningfulness, which not only meets these needs of the spirit but strongly impacts the nurse, the patient, or both, and promotes healing, growth, and comfort. This is connectedness in the NPR.