Associations Between Nurse–Patient Interaction and Sense of Coherence Among Cognitively Intact Nursing Home Residents

Aim: To investigate the association between nurse–patient interaction and sense of coherence among cognitively intact nursing home residents. Method: In a cross-sectional design, data were collected in 2017 and 2018 using the Nurse–Patient Interaction Scale (NPIS) and the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13). Of the 204 cognitively intact nursing home residents who met the inclusion criteria, 188 (92%) participated, representing 27 nursing homes. Multiple regression in a general linear model estimated the possible effects of the 14 NPIS items on SOC-13 sum score, the possible effects of the NPIS (sum score) on SOC-13 (sum score) as well as on the subdimensions of SOC-13, comprehensibility, meaningfulness, and manageability (both without and with adjusting for sex and age). Results: Four of the 14 NPIS items revealed highly significant correlations with SOC-13 (sum score; unadjusted and adjusted for age and gender). Furthermore, the analysis adjusted for age and gender showed significant associations for NPIS (sum score) with SOC-13 (sum score), manageability, and comprehensibility. The correlation between NPIS and meaningfulness was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Nurse–patient interaction is significantly associated with SOC-13 and its subdimensions of comprehensibility and manageability but not meaningfulness. Nurse–patient interaction might be an important resource in relation to residents’ sense of coherence and its subdimensions.