by W. Diane Van Zwol

Created on: August 19, 2009

What Is Bed-side Manner, In Quality Care Nursing?

A good bed-side manner is an important aspect of quality care nursing. It should be demonstrated at all times by every registered nurse, as well as other health care givers, regardless of the situation at hand. Maintaining professional level nursing standards, in your bed-side manner, is vital.

But how can you, as a registered nurse, know if you have a good bed-side manner? Your patients or their families may not tell you, at least not with words. There may be times, when you have to work in isolation or totally alone and do not get any feedback about your bed-side manner from other registered nurses or health care professionals.

What is bed-side manner?

"Bedside manner is a term describing how a healthcare professional handles a patient. A good bedside manner is typically one that reassures and comforts the patient. Vocal tones, body language, openness, presence and concealment of attitude may all affect bedside manner." (1)

Professional standards for bed-side nursing are normally high, but they can vary, depending upon where one trains as a registered nurse, as well as with respect to the culture of the region. Any registered nurse or other health care giver doing bed-side nursing, is continually subjected to scrutiny from many different directions.Registered nurses, who are still in training, are regularly assessed by their nursing instructors, professors or teachers. They gradually learn to follow the examples set by other registered nurses, with regard to their bed-side manner.

With a global shortage of registered nurses, bed-side manner is an area of growing concern in the nursing profession, because role models can find themselves under high levels of stress and burdened with heavy work loads. While a registered nurse's bedside manner should always be professional regardless of the circumstances, what others perceive as happening. may seem to demonstrate a less than ideal bed-side manner. The same thing can happen because of the global economic decline. When there are cutbacks in funding, there is not only a shortage of nurses but there also can be a shortage of nursing supplies.

What can you, as a registered nurse, do to consistently demonstrate a good bed-side manner?

Compassion, care and concern on the part of registered nurses, are noted by patients and their families, doctors, nurses and other health care professionals, even though nothing may

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