Implementing Relationship-Based Care as a Professional Practice Model: Promoting Nurses' Understanding and Confidence to Apply in Practice

Abstract

Professional practice models (PPMs) guide nursing practice, professional behaviors, and clinical leadership. Health care continues to evolve (e.g., through health system mergers), and nurses may need to adopt and understand new PPMs to confidently align their interventions and professional nursing practice accordingly. The purpose of this project was to create an educational module about a new PPM based on the model of relationship-based care (RBC), which was adopted following a health system merger. The module was presented to a sample of nursing staff and leaders, who subsequently evaluated how it changed their confidence in and understanding and application of RBC in their professional nursing practice. Quantitative data showed that the module was an effective method to increase nurses' understanding of, and confidence in providing care utilizing, the RBC model. Qualitative data analysis generated themes (team building, need for self-care, being present, lack of time and resources, and resistance to or fear of change) about how implementation of RBC as the organization's PPM would change professional nursing practice, and barriers related to its implementation.