Nursing Students’ Experiences of Forming a Therapeutic Relationship with Older Patients with Dementia in Long-term Care Hospitals

Purpose: This study aimed to describe and understand the meaning and nature of the process of forming a therapeutic relationship among nursing students working with older patients with dementia in long-term care hospitals. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 nursing students from September to October 2024. We examined and described the collected data based on Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results: Seventeen theme clusters and five categories were derived from the nursing students' experiences. The five categories were as follows: preparing for scheduled encounters with unfamiliar people, embarking upon exploration to build a relationship, making various efforts to maintain a therapeutic relationship, facing obstacles in maintaining a relationship, and witnessing myself growing in a therapeutic relationship. Conclusion: Efforts should be made to develop and implement training programs that would reinforce nursing students' competencies to care for older patients with dementia through consistent interactions and exchanges with field practitioners.