Relationship-Based Care: a Test of the Quality Caring Model's Association with Nurses' Perceptions of Work and Patient Relationships

Abstract

This study assesses whether ambulatory surgery nurses who apply concepts from the Quality Caring Model (QCM) will experience different work perceptions and patient relationships than do nurses who do not directly apply QCM concepts. The QCM contends that if nurses demonstrate caring through their interaction, a patient experiences a greater level of satisfaction with the healthcare encounter. Conceptualized from the framework of a service relationship, this thesis posits that nurses employing the QCM should also perceive more positive relationship qualities with their patients and more positive workplace experiences than other nurses who are not utilizing QCM principles. Data from 27 nurses who reported 79 patient encounters revealed that, when controlling for phase of care (preoperative phase and phase 2 recovery) and length of time in the nurse’s care, five relationship perceptions differed across QCM and non-QCM nurses: relationship satisfaction, expression of positive and negative valence, appreciation of unique meanings, providing a healing environment, and conversational effectiveness. In addition, QCM nurses perceived greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment than did non-QCM nurses.