Relationships between families and registered nurses in long-term-care facilities: a critical analysis.

Although much has been written about the relationship between families and nurses, little systematic analysis has been undertaken of this dyadic relationship in long-term care (LTC). Using a critical ethnographic approach, the researchers conducted separate in-depth interviews with 17 family-nurse dyads caring for residents with Alzheimer disease or a related disorder in one LTC setting. Analysis of interview transcripts and fieldnotes revealed 4 types of family-nurse relationships--conventional, competitive, collaborative, and "carative"--each reflecting the roles of nurse and family, negotiating strategies, and consequences.