Standard 1: Therapeutic Relationships
The registered psychiatric nurse establishes collaborative professional, interpersonal, and therapeutic relationships with clients.
A registered psychiatric nurse:
- Continually applies the therapeutic use of self within professional practice.
- Recognizes and addresses power imbalances in therapeutic relationships.
- Ensures client needs remain the focus of the therapeutic relationship.
- Does not exploit the vulnerability of persons encountered through their practice.
- Will not engage in any sexual behaviour while in a therapeutic relationship with a client, with or without consent.
- Will not enter into a close personal or intimate relationship with a client or a former client who has received psychotherapeutic treatment from the registered psychiatric nurse.
- Uses professional judgment, effective communication and interpersonal skills, and practices with integrity to establish, maintain and terminate the therapeutic relationship.
- Recognizes and addresses transference and counter-transference and their impact on the therapeutic relationship.
- Applies critical thinking and professional judgment in therapeutic relationships.
- Establishes and negotiates boundaries in therapeutic relationships.
- Practices according to the principles of informed consent and confidentiality.
- Will make best efforts to find suitable alternatives to treating their own family or friends.
- Develops partnerships using a client-centred, integrated and holistic approach.