Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, are caring by nature. They treat their patients respectfully and compassionately. Emotional affection is a by-product of caring. Emotional affection sometimes develops as a result of pity of the patient’s condition or personal situation. It could also develop sometimes from physical attraction. Emotional affection is a complex feeling that becomes very personal. Hence, it is not unusual, especially in long-term care settings, for healthcare professionals to develop some kind of relationship with the patient or their family. The relationship may start to be very professional, but after months and years, in some situations, the relationship becomes personal. It is not unheard of for some nursing assistants to develop romantic relationships with the patient or a family member of the patient. Though unintended there is now a conflict of interest between this nursing assistant and the patient involved. This is where “professional boundaries” become very important. This course intends to look into these complex personal situations and explore ways so that a conflict of interest does not happen.
Learning Objectives Professionalism in Healthcare
- Recognize the importance of maintaining professional boundaries in healthcare settings.
- Learn how to explain to the patient your caregiver role as well as the boundaries or limits of that patient caregiver relationship.
- Explore situations where professional boundaries may become blurred and compromise your role as a caregiver.
- Identify questions to consider when faced with professional boundary issues.
- Identify potential role of Ethics Committee on resolving professional boundary dilemmas involving caregivers.