The Lived Experience of the Trusting Nurse–Patient Relationship Among Patients Admitted to Internal Medicine Wards

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore the lived experience of the trusting nurse–patient relationship among patients admitted to internal medicine wards.

Design

A qualitative study guided by van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological approach.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen hospitalised patients in a Danish University hospital in 2024. Data were analysed through thematic reflection.

Results

The analysis revealed one overarching theme—the journey towards trust: bridging the need to feel safe with the pathways to wellbeing—supported by five subthemes. Trust developed through a dynamic and interpersonal process shaped by the patient's vulnerability, the nurse's actions and their mutual understanding. When trust was present, care was experienced as coherent, meaningful and safe; when absent, it felt disconnected and inadequate.

Conclusion

Trust within the nurse–patient relationship is experienced as a dynamic process shaped by the nurse's presence, authenticity and responsiveness. Rather than a static state, trust unfolds gradually, influencing how patients feel safe, understood and cared for. Relational competence should be recognised as a clinical skill, requiring the same support as technical competencies. Education, leadership and policies must protect interpersonal care. Further research should examine nurses' experiences and interventions that sustain trust.

Implications for the Profession

The findings emphasise the need to recognise relational care as a professional and clinical competence. Supportive environments, relational training and organisational awareness are essential to enable nurses to prioritise trust-based relationships.

Impact

This study addresses the challenge of sustaining relational care in time-constrained hospital settings. It offers insight into patients' experiences of trust and highlights key relational behaviours. The findings are relevant for nurses, educators and healthcare leaders aiming to strengthen relational competence and improve patient care quality.

Reporting Method

The study adheres to the COREQ reporting guidelines.

Patient or Public Contribution

This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.