Strategies used by clinical nurse specialists in "difficult" clinician-patient situations

The purpose of this study was to describe strategies used by clinical nurse specialists when caring for patients involved in "difficult" clinician-patient situations. Clinical nurse specialist members of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists were surveyed to identify frequently used and high-priority strategies. Subjects (N = 234) identified strategies from a wide spectrum of activities, with agreement found between highest and lowest frequently used and priority approaches. Respect for the patient and ability to focus on the issue at hand emerged in the highest reported strategies.