Rapport and Professional Nurse

Rapport is one of the important professional activities in nursing professional practice

because we have to deal with patients and their relatives who are seeking health care,
caretakers as well as other staff members. This activity is based on Psychological framework.
Buist (2007) defines a close and harmonious relationship characterized by affinity and
empathy, in which there is a clear and common understandingpage. In addition, Townsend
(1999) status that Rapport implies special feelings on the part of both the client and the nurse
based on acceptance, warmth, friendliness, common interest, a sense of trust, and a
nonjudgmental attitude. Establishing rapport may be accomplished by discussing non-health-
related topics. (P. 99)
If this ability can be intuitive for some, indeed, it is a stressful challenge for others.
Buist (2007) further discusses about the rapport pyramid on communication sequence
displaying on the figure 1, for building up a therapeutic rapport with the client. It includes
polite conversation, facts and information, ideas and opinions, feelings and emotions,
Authenticity & Congruence and rapport consequently.
Furthermore, Buist (2007) implies that there are seven principles of building rapport. The
first principle is developing an attractive personality. The reason of that, people are attracted
to people who attracted to people. Hence, as a professional nurse, we should display
confidence, leadership, passion, kindness, humanity, emotional control and a sense of
purposes at the clients. Becoming genuinely interested in other people is the second principle.
To complete this event, we should focus on other people and their interests, learn and practice
empathy, observe rather than judge, and establish common ground and values. The third
principle is aiming to meet the other persons crucial needs. We all have a need for security,
significance and self-worth. In cause of that, we should aim to make the other person feel in
every situation. The fourth principle is becoming an excellent communicator. To meet this
point, we have to smile always and be a standard listener. Open ended questions should be
asked from the client rather than asking close ended questions. Besides, communication will
be enhanced when we engage the other person by adapting to their perceptual preferences for
either visual or auditory information. It means we should strongly focus on non-verbal
communications as well as verbal communication. Baki-Miri and Baki (2008) point out at
the end of the interview is the point when both the nurse and the client need to understand
what has happened during the course of it and what the plan for the next step is going to be.
Summary of the nurse-client encounter is the easiest way to do this. The nurse has to make
sure that all questions, concerns and patient related needs have been fully addressed. On the
part of both the nurse and the client, it is also important that a rapport has been established. It
should be used a soft, calm and even tone throughout the conversation as a means of comfort.
Buirts fifth principle is being like the clients because people build rapport with people they
like, and people like people who are like them. Understanding and adapting behavioural style
is the sixth principle. For it, we should observe, quickly identifying and valuing others
behavioural styles and be flexible, adapting our style in order to dramatically improve
communication, significantly deepen relationships, reduce conflict and enhance productive
connections. Seventh principle is cultivating trust & trustworthiness. To meet this factor, as a
nurse we should understand the characteristics of trust and how to develop trust.
Lets advert what psychological outcomes of building rapport are. There are improving
trust and a friendly bond between client and the nurse, feeling job satisfaction, understanding
and coping with an easy manner, increasing the willingness of patients to work with the
healthcare team, strengthening the mind, reduction of mental stress in the both nurse and the
client, building up a therapeutic nurse patient-relationship, mainly influencing to solve the
clients problem with psychological support and so on. (Bakic-Miric and Bakic, 2008; Buirt,
2007)
Next, lets draw our attention on professional outcomes of building rapport. There are
forming a professional standard person, building up a good personality among others,
increasing links in the society, developing skills of understanding verbal and non-verbal
behaviours as well as the skills of patient education, getting successful the ultimate
consequence at the end of the course and improving abilities on time management, planning,
leading, critical thinking and so on. (Bakic-Miric and Bakic, 2008; Buirt, 2007).
Eventually, lets look an example as a case study how to build up a rapport. I selected a
young married lady. She is Chathurika, 28 years old, having several problems with living.
She who has no children has separated from her husband one and half year after marriage.
She is very irritable and makes qruvels with others. But, she has several mango friends whose
characters are ugly. They also are pointing her to immoral things. Besides, she cannot do a
job in one place. Also, she is keeping company with two, three boys in the same time. I
commenced to build a rapport with this lady. According to the principles of building rapport,
I gathered information through verbal and nonverbal behaviours she released. I had to spend
time listening and talking to her to build mutual trust and develop a shared approach to
working together. She had used to make her decisions. But I also encouraged her to consider
other angles. I considered as a person not, merely as a client. I tried her to understand what
the advantages and disadvantages of her existing behaviours are. After the third meeting, she
engaged to correct several mistakes she has.