Therapeutic nurse-patient relationships lay the foundation for successful care and rehabilitation of a patient in any setting. Whether the patient is in a nursing home, hospital, or receiving home care, a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is vital to patient care. A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship can be defined as a professional relationship between the nurse and patient that “is client-focused, goal-directed, and has defined parameters” (Craven & Hirnle, 2009, p. 329). One way to understand exactly what a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is is to examine the characteristics of the relationship. As stated previously, the therapeutic relationship focuses on the client and his or her goals. Unlike a social relationship, the actions of both nurse and patient are dedicated to the patient's needs. Nurse and patient work together to achieve the patient's goals. Although the nurse may enjoy interacting with the patient, this is not the purpose of the relationship. The parameters of the relationship are defined to ensure that the relationship does not curve in that direction. Parameters include: “[t]he relationship ends when goals are achieved and the service is no longer needed” (Craven & Hirnle, 2009, p. 330). This ensures that boundaries are not crossed and that the nurse-patient relationship remains professional. In the nurse-patient relationship, there are three phases that help the relationship develop. Craven and Hirnle (2009) describe the first phase, orientation, “consists of presentations and agreements between nurse and client about each other's roles and responsibilities” (p. 329). It is in this orientation phase that first impressions are made...... middle of paper ......., Jones, G., & Linscott, J. (2006). The experience of being listened to: A qualitative study of older adults in long-term care settings. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 32(1), 46-53. Retrieved from CINAHL Plus with full-text database. Kotecki, C. (2002). The communication process of nursing students in the clinical context. Journal of Nursing Education, 41(2), 61-68. Retrieved from CINAHL Plus with full text database. McNeill, C., Shattell, M., Rossen, E., & Bartlett, R. (2008). Development of relational skills with the elderly. Journal of Nursing Education, 47(6), 269-271. Retrieved from CINAHL Plus with full-text database.Williams, K., Kemper, S., & Hummert, L. (2004). Improving communication with the elderly: overcoming the language of the elderly. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 30(10), 17-25. Retrieved from CINAHL Plus with full-text database.