title: Building trustworthy relationships with critically ill patients and families.
abstract: A difficult case study involving repeated health crises and irreversible organ dysfunction illustrates the challenges critical care professionals face in caring for patients and their families. In such cases, trust is especially fragile, and coexists with its counterpart, betrayal. The Reina Trust & Betrayal Model defines 3 types of Transactional Trust. The first, Competence Trust, or the Trust of Capability, requires that clinicians practice humility, engage in inquiry, honor the patient's choices, and express compassion. The second, Contractual Trust, or the Trust of Character, demands that clinicians keep agreements, manage expectations, establish boundaries, and encourage mutually serving expectations. The third, Communication Trust, or the Trust of Disclosure, must be rooted in respect and based on truth-telling. Particularly in life-and-death situations, communication requires honesty and clarity. Each type of trust involves specific behaviors that build trust and can guide critical care professionals as they interact with patients and their families.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and the Children's Center, Johns Hopkins University, 525 N Wolfe St, Box 420, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. crushton@son.jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Cynda Hylton
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rushton
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Reina
authors.forename: Dennis S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reina
mesh_terms: D032722:Advance Care Planning; D002605:Character; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011379:Prognosis; D014152:Transactional Analysis; D035502:Trust; D014342:Truth Disclosure