[The importance of trust in nursing]

This qualitative study is based on a dissertation which was submitted as part-requirement towards the Higher Diploma, Level II, "Clinical Nursing Expertise". Observation revealed that trust must be regarded as a prerequisite for all nursing interventions. 20 patients were the subjects of open-ended interviews. They were asked what, for them, was the meaning of "trust", and what determined whether they could trust the nurses. Analysis of the data showed that emerging categories depended on different factors. Though technical competence and organisational structure were not unimportant, personal competence of the nurse was crucial. The patient expects a helpful relationship, which presupposes a high level of social and communication skill. In order to be able to come up to the expectations which patients have of the nurses' personality, appropriate training and supervision is essential.