Mutuality--an expression of nursing presence.

Nursing exists in the details of relationships. One crucial element of therapeutic nurse-patient/parent relationships is the attribute of mutuality. Mutuality not only embodies the philosophy of family-centered-care, it acknowledges and supports the evolution of parents and nurses toward greater competency in their role. Using concept analysis, this article explores the phenomenon of mutuality. The desired outcome is to provide a theoretical and operational definition of mutuality that will help guide practice and direct future research in the area of therapeutic nurse-parent relationships.