The Slim Line Between Nurse Educator

How far is to far? This article is about the slim line between being a nurse educator and sliding into the role of a counselor in the clinical setting. Nurse educators are at the clinical site to teach and promote learning. In the article the author says, “ the subtle shift to the role of counselor can and does occur when a student discloses personal details regarding emotional reactions or distress around a particular situation with a patient or family members.” These situations lead to a line that is grey and hard for the nurse educators to navigate. In this article the author points out a couple situations where this line occurs and how nurse educators can potentially navigate the situation.
One of the first situations the author brings …show more content…
The author says, there is freedom on the support the nurse can give to the patients and students but there are policy’s in place to make sure the boundaries of a professional relationship is not crossed. The author writes, “The National Council of State Boards of Nursing 's (2014) publication on boundaries, as well as the guidelines of personal relationships versus professional relationships, as well as personal communication (the nurse not sharing too much personal information with patients), or around the use of touch and the direct breaches of the professional-client relationship.” These principles can guide nurse educators thinking, practice and how they can manage the boundaries with the students in the clinical …show more content…
Even with the support and education we give to patients and students there is a fine line on professional- boundaries that I have to make sure I do not cross. I will do this by following the guidelines we learn in nursing school on communication, along with using therapeutic communications and using touch appropriately with my patients. Some challenges I may come across in the workplace are a patient or family member asking me a lot of personal questions and deflecting my questions. I could also run across receiving a gift or money from a client, becoming emotionally involved in a client’s personal relationships or inappropriately using a nurse’s position. There are many tools and behaviors I can use to make sure not to cross professional boundaries, as I become a professional nurse. I can be transparent, therapeutic and ethical with all of my patients. When the issues are complex and boundaries are not clear, I can discuss concerns with a knowledgeable and trusted colleague or nurse manager. I will also disclose personal information only with a therapeutic intent, such as to develop trust and establish a relationship with a patient. As a professional nurse my main focus is on the patients and students needs knowing that there are professional boundaries to keep in