Development of public health nurse's relational skills: Focusing on homecare services for the mentally challenged

Abstract

Twelve municipally employed public health nurses were the subjects of a semi-structured interview probing into their interactions with the mentally challenged and their significant others. The interview data was analyzed inductively with the Modified Grounded Theory Approach, revealing 29 concepts, which were subsequently grouped into four categories. These were: establishing warm human relationships; maintaining composure and a professional relationship; mediating the client's relationships with others; and maintaining an adequate psychological distance between clients. The process in which public health nurses develop their relationships with their clients was described, paying special attention to these four categories. A discussion was conducted on how public health nurses create a supportive atmosphere in their relationship development with each mental patient, enabling him/her to function within his/her community.View full abstract