The developmental phases of the nurse/resident relationship on an in-patient psychiatric unit

We have identified four developmental phases of the nurse-resident relationship during a six month residency rotation. The first phase is the "Honeymoon Phase," characterized by the nurse and resident working together to maintain superficial harmony. The second, or "Testing Phase," raises issues of trust and control which must be resolved before the more collaborative team work characteristic of the "Cohesive Phase" may begin. The third, or "Cohesive Phase," is a period of sharing in which the nurse and the resident have developed trust in one another's abilities. Finally, during the "Separation Phase," the nurse must identify and resolve her own feelings about the resident's upcoming departure. When the nurse has successfully resolved these feelings, she is then in a position to reinvest her energies in the initial stages of another nurse-resident relationship. The nurse's awareness of developmental phases and their respective developmental tasks fosters her objectivity and ability to define specific professional goals.