The nurse-client relationship in a stress management clinic

The methodological perspective of symbolic interactionism and interpretive research emphasizes the complexity and importance of the nurse-client relationship. In a nurse-managed stress management clinic, 18 clients were interviewed at various points during their treatment trajectory, along with 6 clinicians. Clients and providers were emphatic about the importance of a broad, holistic perspective. Spiritual aspects were discussed, but not prominently. Status differential was minimized; however, this did not make participants define the relationship as less professional. The importance of trust was a key element in the nurse-client relationship.