Understanding Patient Behavior: A Nursing Review

Abstract

Understanding patient behavior is a foundational component of effective nursing practice. This review explores the psychological, biological, sociocultural, and environmental factors influencing patient behavior and highlights how these factors impact care delivery, treatment adherence, and patient outcomes. Key psychological frameworks, such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages, and the Health Belief Model, provide insight into patient motivations and reactions. The article also examines how behaviors—ranging from cooperative participation to non-compliance, aggression, or withdrawal—manifest in clinical settings. Special considerations for pediatric, geriatric, and psychiatric populations are addressed, emphasizing the need for age-specific and condition-sensitive approaches. Nurses play a crucial role in assessing behavior through observation, communication, and use of behavioral tools. Strategies such as therapeutic communication, de-escalation, behavior reinforcement, and patient education are discussed to support individualized, culturally competent care. The review concludes with recommendations for enhanced nurse training, interprofessional collaboration, and the development of behavior-focused care plans to improve safety, satisfaction, and patient outcomes.