Blurred Lines: Professional Boundaries in the Clinical Setting

Let’s explore professional boundaries, defined as the spaces between the nurses’ power and the patients’ vulnerability with guest Iris Hall, RN, IgCN®. In all relationships between healthcare professionals and patients, there is an imbalance of power. Healthcare professionals have in-depth access to patients’ sensitive personal information and that puts them in a position of power. It is important for healthcare professionals to understand the boundaries of these relationships and to maintain the space that protects the privacy and dignity of patients under their care.