Boundaries of the therapeutic relationship in nursing – between empathy and emotional burden
Więcej
Ukryj
1
Individual Nursing Practice, Szczecin, Poland
2
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland
Data nadesłania: 16-07-2026
Data ostatniej rewizji: 30-08-2026
Data akceptacji: 21-09-2026
Data publikacji online: 05-10-2026
Autor do korespondencji
Dominika Szynal
Individual Nursing Practice, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; email: dominiczka@vp.pl
Tomasz Olszowski
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; email:
tomasz.olszowski@pum.edu.pl
SŁOWA KLUCZOWE
DZIEDZINY
STRESZCZENIE
The therapeutic relationship is one of the fundamental components of professional nursing practice and has a significant
impact on the quality of care and the effectiveness of the therapeutic process. The aim of this paper was to analyze
the importance of the therapeutic relationship in nursing, with particular emphasis on the role of empathy, professional
boundaries, and the problem of emotional burden among nursing staff. The article discusses the essence of the therapeutic
relationship, models of its development, barriers to effective communication, and the ethical and legal aspects of maintaining
professional boundaries. It also examines the consequences of excessive emotional involvement, including compassion
fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and professional burnout. Furthermore, the paper highlights the importance of
preventive strategies such as developing emotional intelligence, psychological resilience, communication skills,
clinical supervision, and organizational support. Maintaining compassionate engagement while preserving appropriate
professional boundaries is essential for ensuring high-quality nursing care and protecting nurses’ psychological well-being.