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So, how do trust and communication help patients? When patients seek health care services or are hospitalized, many are unfamiliar with the process or what to expect. They may be apprehensive about what's to come and not understand the medical jargon. For some, being spoken to using medical terminology is like a foreign language. Imagine being in a foreign country with people talking to you, and you have no idea what is being said. One can feel helpless and out of control, which may lead to anger or resistance to learning. Suppose a healthy nurse-patient relationship is established from the get-go. In that case, the nurses can help the patient feel more at ease in their situation, encourage questions and participate in their care.

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Nurses must get buy-in from patients when it comes to their care. As any nurse will tell you, working with a non-compliant patient is nearly impossible. Little to no improvement is made. Encouraging participation and educating patients is paramount. As stated earlier, establishing a healthy nurse-patient relationship is essential as the first step to opening the lines of communication. Communication must be ongoing and involve patient education. For example, a non-compliant diabetic may believe skipping meals helps lower blood sugar. A nurse can take the opportunity to explain the importance of regular meals and snacks and explain what happens physiologically when meals are skipped in diabetic patients. The patient may not know. Education can lead to better compliance and patient engagement and improve patient care outcomes. In this example, improved blood sugar and A1C levels.

RELATED: What Are Some Ways Nurses Can Influence Healthcare Organization Costs?

Nurses are on the front lines of health care. They become experts at establishing relationships with patients and can do so without a second thought. A healthy nurse-patient relationship built on trust and respect goes a long way in improving a patient's overall health.

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