Abstract

Remember what drew you to health care? And what makes your work meaningful now? Chances are caring for people is the answer to both questions.

In fact, healthcare is provided through relationships. Over a decade ago we developed a care delivery framework described in the award-winning book Relationship-Based Care: A Model for Transforming Practice. We were on the vanguard of a revolution toward more patient-centered caring. Indeed, we have always known the importance of connection to patient experience, employee attitudes, interpersonal relations, teams and performance. For nurses, caring relationships are so essential at work that it is inseparable from the work itself. We believe the best nursing care requires understanding of three key relationships: