What responsibility do nurses have in maintaining professional boundaries?

Nurses have a critical responsibility to distinguish therapeutic relationships from personal relationships with patients, which is essential for maintaining professional boundaries. This means that nurses must ensure that their interactions with patients are focused on the patients' health and well-being, rather than personal feelings, friendships, or emotional connections that may compromise the professional nature of the nursing role.

Therapeutic relationships are built on trust, respect, and the nurse's commitment to the patient’s care, which differs fundamentally from personal relationships that can introduce bias, dependency, and conflicts of interest. By maintaining this distinction, nurses can provide care that safeguards the patient's dignity and autonomy, ultimately fostering a productive and safe care environment.

The other options reflect an understanding of boundaries but do not adequately capture the primary responsibility of nurses in establishing and maintaining the necessary professional distance that allows for effective and efficient patient care.