Bedside Manners Greatly Matters
Submitted by Kezia Diadivas, RN
Tags: attitude Bedside Manner caregiver nurses Patient-centered care patients
The Importance of Bedside Attitude in Nursing Care
Bedside nurses’ attitude are critical in establishing trust and cooperation from their patients. With great bedside manners, their patient will more likely be proactive and cooperative when they deal with them at the clinical setting.
Each nurse is unique and every nurse has its own set of values. How are patients treated at the bedside will greatly be remembered by them who are in the receiving end of care. A kind and caring nurse will most likely have a better direct cooperation from her patients while a strict nurse might not be able to gain so much interaction from them.
As humans, these patients will also feel how they are being treated and respected while they are being assigned to a specific health care provider such as their primary nurse in the hospital.
Creating Comfort for Patients in Vulnerable Moments
Some of the patients may be overwhelmed and vulnerable, feeling so afraid while being in an unfamiliar environment setting. While patients may be anxious while being admitted, a compassionate and understanding nurse will be of great advantage.
Having someone who is smiling, actively engaging, and accommodating makes the patient at ease while being cared for. When the nurse or caregiver enters the room in a gentle fashion, not appearing to be rushed and taking the time to assess the patient carefully, then that patient will certainly feel they are treated with respect and dignity.
Sometimes even if the nurse is just quiet inside the patient’s room but is making eye contact with the patient, showing interest and actively listening, or one is explaining procedures clearly to the patient, this act greatly reduces stress and uncertainty.
The Small Actions That Build Trust
A great bedside nurse is also attentive to their patient’s need, pain level, or if all their needs are met, and if their possessions are within reach.
All these acts of kindness, empathy, and patient-centered care makes a great nurse-patient relationship work gaining their trust and confidence and can leave a lasting unforgettable impact on their lowest moments in life.
The Role of Communication in Patient Care
Furthermore, nurses must also be willing to ask open-ended questions or to answer any clarifications that the patient might clarify with regard to their plan of care. By doing so, it allows the patients to gain more understanding, be engaged and updated on the plans or procedures that might be done to them in the clinical setting.
By practicing these attributes such as clear communication and compassionate care in nursing, it paves the way to great nursing experience both for the care provider and for the patient, thus a win-win situation.
Why Attitude Matters in Patient Recovery
Along with great nursing skills, a nurses’ attitude is of equal importance in a patient’s recovery which is often overlooked and under rated.
When nurses offer emotional support and show to their patients that they are valued, it also increases the patient’s satisfaction and leads to better outcomes and compliance in treatment.
While being in a stressful situations that patients might be experiencing or going through, nurses who have great bedside manners can decrease their patient’s anxiety, fear, or doubts and replaces it with trust and confidence.
References
- D&E Marketing & Communications (2025). Improving Bedside Manner in Nursing
- Deepak, MD. Patient-Centered Care and Good Bedside Manner