Objective: To determine nurses’ perceptions of their competence level in the nurse-patient relationship, specifically related to the concept of Caritas Transpersonal Relationship of Watson’s Theory. Background: The nurse-patient relationship is a construct considered core to nursing and foundational to caring practice. Given its significant impact on healthcare quality, it has been subject of reflection and research in nursing, as it is intrinsically connected to various healthcare quality outcome indicators. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study, from October to December 2024, using a probabilistic sample (N=126 nurses) from a university hospital in Colombia. Perceived competence in the nurse-patient relationship was measured using the Spanish-validated scale CNPI-23 short version. Results: Nurses aged 34 to 58 reported higher competence in medication administration, equipment management, monitoring medication effects, and emergency response than younger nurses. Conclusions: Measuring the nurse-patient relationship yields valuable insights for enhancing nursing care quality and highlights the importance of empirical indicators in theory-based caring models.
Galeano et al. (Thu,) studied this question.