Therapeutic Communication Erosion and Patient Trust Vulnerability in Technology Dominated Nursing Care

Abstract

The development of digital technology in nursing services has increased the efficiency of health services, but has the potential to reduce the quality of therapeutic communication between nurses and patients that is the foundation of the care relationship. This study aims to explore how the dominance of technology in nursing practice affects the erosion of therapeutic communication and the vulnerability of patient trust. The study used a phenomenological qualitative approach involving 20 inpatients and 12 nurses who were purposively selected. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and non-participatory observations, then analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that excessive focus on digital documentation and the use of technological devices reduced interpersonal interaction, empathy, and emotional support, resulting in some patients feeling less personalized service and lowering their confidence levels. This research emphasizes the importance of maintaining therapeutic communication to maintain patient trust in increasingly digitized nursing services