title: Factors related to the nursing student-patient relationship: the students' perspective.
abstract: The aim of this study was to describe nursing students' perceptions of factors related to three types of student-patient relationship identified in an earlier study: mechanistic, authoritative and facilitative. Another aim was to identify which factors predict the type of relationship. A convenience sample of 310 Bachelor of Health Care students was recruited. The data were collected by using a questionnaire especially designed for this study. Data analysis used the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, one-way analysis of variance and multinomial logistic regression. Older age was the only significant predictor of a facilitative relationship, whereas fourth-year studies and support received from a person other than supervisor predicted an authoritative relationship. Furthermore, students in authoritative and facilitative relationships had a more positive perception of the patient's attributes as a patient and of patient's improved health and commitment to self-care than students in a mechanistic relationship. A positive perception of the atmosphere during collaboration was more common among students in an authoritative relationship than in a mechanistic relationship. The findings of this study offer useful clues for developing nursing education and empowering patients with a view to improving the quality of nursing care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. arja.suikkala@mbnet.fi
authors.forename: Arja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suikkala
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leino-Kilpi
authors.forename: Jouko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katajisto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001318:Authoritarianism; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires