Barbara Czerniawski, RN, BSN, MScN
College of Nurses of Ontario
Toronto, ON
Objectives: 1. Raise awareness of practice regarding the therapeutic nurse client
relationship for paediatric nurses in Ontario
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2. Share results of CNO’s Therapeutic Nurse Client Relationship Survey
Purpose:
The Paediatric Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) raised concerns that paediatric nurses have barriers to practising within the TNCR Standard. The PSAG project was to explore paediatric nurses practices to determine if there are any significant learning and practice gaps.
Methodology:
An invitation to participate in an electronic survey was sent to a random and convenience sample of 550 paediatric and maternal/newborn nurses. Nurses completing the survey were 163 (response rate 29.6%). Years of paediatric practice: 29% < 5 years and 33% >20 years. Respondents were primarily practicing in a hospital setting (tertiary 60%; community hospital 27%). Majority were staff nurses (78%).
Results:
Preliminary findings identified gaps between practice reality and the standard: i) maintaining relationships outside circle of care; ii) difficulty determining/maintaining boundaries; iii) giving and accepting gifts. Analysis on the qualitative data that was collected is currently in progress with the hope to gain a better understanding of the practices of paediatric nurses in Ontario.
Conclusions:
The survey helped CNO understand that the majority of nurses practicing believe that they are practicing within the TNCR standard but the concern is that many of the nurses responding indicated that they have not recently reviewed the practice standard which was revised in 2006. Raising awareness of the TNCR standard and sharing the results of the survey will be done by the CNO’s Outreach Consultant through educational activities and the PSAG. This work will also help to guide the next revision of the TNCR.
The CNO has information on how nurses put into practice the TNCR and the next step would be to explore what a child/family expect in a TNCR.